Daybreak and Fireworks
by Aurial Lyte
Summary: Someone from Duo's past returns and as he builds a new relationship with him, the one he has with Heero slowly deteriorates. As much as he wants to find a balance, it's ultimately a matter of choice...and the consequences that follow. 2x1,6x1,3x4,Solox2
1. Chapter 1

Daybreak and Fireworks

By Aurial Lyte

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

It had been two years since they moved in together, and Heero always wondered how they lasted this long. It wasn't something that he really had in mind. When Duo brought up the idea, he instantly rejected it. Duo was his best friend, true, but as far as living together went, Heero wasn't sure that would be possible. They had nothing in common: they didn't like the same food; they didn't like the same shows. Heero was always up by 8am every morning; Duo barely rolled out of bed by 1pm. Heero usually went to bed at or around 10pm; Duo usually returned home by 4 in the morning. Two completely different people living under the same roof...it wasn't easy, but somehow they managed.

There were times when Heero wanted to wring Duo's neck for being such a laid back moron; but whenever he came close to inflicting bodily harm on his dimwitted roommate, Duo always found a way to "warm his icy heart." Never failed - no matter how pissed Duo made Heero, and no matter how heated their arguments got, it always ended with them laughing about it over a couple bottles of beer. Yes, Heero's friendship with Duo was odd...but tolerable and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

A few months ago, Heero's interactions with Duo became less and less, almost to the point where they barely spoke to each other except in passing.

It all started when Duo received an anonymous letter. Although Heero was leery about an envelope with no return address, Duo ignored the warning signs and opened it without hesitation. As if to taunt Heero, he started to read it aloud in the most annoying voice he could muster.

"'Dear Duo - I don't know if you still remember me, and I'm not sure if you're the person I've been looking for. It's been years since I've seen you and from what I can tell it's you. Although you've lost most of your baby fat, and your long hair is now almost always in a braid, your eyes haven't changed. They are still the same violet hue that I remember and love...' Geez this sounds like a stalker." Duo let out a casual laugh.

Heero rolled his eyes. "Stop reading it."

"Oh please - this is harmless. Anyway..." Duo cleared his throat before continuing. "'I want to get in touch with you but I'm not able to find your number. I got your address from a friend of yours named Hilde...' This person knows Hilde? Interesting... 'She said that the number you gave her got disconnected because you refused to pay the bill...' No, I told her that they charged me for a call I didn't make."

"Oh you mean the call you somehow made to some random person in India while you were completely drunk off your ass?" Heero smirked as a pair of violet orbs glared at him over the piece of paper in Duo's hand.

"Bite me." Duo returned his attention to the letter. "'As much as I would like to explain myself in this letter, I think it would be better (and faster) if we just talked on the phone. Please give me a call. My number is 919-758-0026. I know you're probably asking yourself why you would bother calling someone you don't know just because he asked.' Damn straight buddy. 'But I think after we talk, you'll understand. Can't wait to hear from you. Hope you call soon. Sincerely, S-'"

Heero looked up from the magazine he occupied himself with during Duo's charade to see his American friend staring blankly at the paper now loosely dangling in his hand. "Duo...?" When didn't get a response, Heero put the magazine down and walked over to him. Duo was sitting curled up on the couch, not moving an inch. Only when Heero lightly shook his shoulder did he get a reaction out of him. Duo's head snapped up, his eyes as big as saucers as he looked up at him.

Heero looked back at him, quizzically. "Everything ok?"

"Huh...?" Duo was completely clueless for a few seconds before his eyes fell back on the paper in hand. A moment of silence passed before Duo sprang off the couch and he raced toward the stairs. Heero watched him make his way up to the second floor and disappear around the corner until he noticed the paper lying on the floor. Although a tiny part of him told him to mind his own business and not bother, Heero mostly felt entitled to figure out what made Duo take off like the road runner, seeing as how he had to listen through the whole thing. He quickly skimmed through it and got the name signed at the very bottom of the page. Impossible was the only word that rang through his mind, so much so that he didn't notice the braided ex-pilot return until he snatched the paper from Heero's hand.

Duo quickly scanned the letter for the number written on it, then flipped his cellphone open and proceeded to dial. Just before he could press the "call" button, Heero grabbed it.

"What the fuck!" Duo exclaimed, high pitched enough for Heero's ears to ring a little. "Give me back my phone!"

Heero caught Duo's hand as he tried to reach for it. "What are you planning on doing?"

"What does it look like?" Duo countered, glaring intensely. Heero wasn't fazed.

"Why are you even bothering with this? You said it yourself that Solo's dead, so this-"

"No shit Sherlock! That's why I wanna call this guy!" Duo yanked his hand away. "I wanna give this fucker a call and curse him out for pulling this stupid stunt! I mean, who the fuck does he think he is - using Solo's name to get a rise outta me! That asshole's gonna get a piece of my mind tonight and it can't wait so fork over my goddamn phone before I use yours!"

It was obviously clear that Duo was beyond pissed and rather than incite him any further, Heero relented and placed the call before giving the phone back.

"Thank you," Duo said before sauntering off up the stairs. Heero watched again as Duo made it up halfway before a series of very highly offensive and borderline homicidal sentences poured out of his mouth. The ensuing onslaught continued even after Duo slammed the door to his bedroom. It was muffled now, but Heero could still make out a few words.

From what Duo was willing to share, Heero knew that Solo was Duo's childhood friend, and over time Duo considered him a brother. They grew up together, and Solo looked out for him, took care of him, and made sure that he was safe. But just as Duo was content with the way his life was going, Solo fell ill and shortly after, died. Duo stayed with him until the end, and even a little after that before authorities found them. Duo didn't remember what they did with Solo's body, but they whisked him away to the Maxwell orphanage and the rest is history.

The clock in the living room chimed - it was 9pm. As much as Heero wanted to stay up until Duo finished his rant over the phone (simply because he didn't think he could sleep with him being so loud), Heero decided to call it a night. He needed to wake up early to prepare for yet another uninteresting meeting in the afternoon. As he made his way up the stairs, Duo's voice became louder and louder, and for a second, Heero thought that maybe Duo was...crying? 'No way...' Shaking that thought quickly from his mind, he walked passed Duo's closed door to his own room at the end of the hall. 'Sleep until 4, be at work by 6. Perfect.' Heero thought as he rested his head on the pillow, and allowed his eyes to slide shut, eventually tuning out Duo's all-too familiar vocals enough to slip away into sleep.

When Heero awoke, it was only a little past 2am, way earlier than he anticipated. Shifting to his side, he closed his eyes again and attempted to will himself back to sleep. It was almost working...until Heero finally noticed how awfully quiet it was outside his room.

Letting out a sigh, Heero got out of bed and left his room. He made his way to Duo's room and knocked on the door. When he didn't hear anything, he carefully turned the knob and cracked the door open just a little to peer in...then pushed it open completely when he could tell that no one was in the bed. The bedsheets were still on the floor right where Duo left them that morning (he didn't understand the concept or purpose of bedmaking).

"Duo?" Heero called out to him as he closed the door and continued down the hall to the top of the stairs. From where he stood, he could see a light dimly glowing on the bottom floor. He made his way down and headed into the kitchen, where the light resonated from. There he saw Duo sitting at the small table in the center. 3 empty beer bottles rested on the table, and Duo was gently drumming one that seemed halfway done with his left hand. In his right held what looked like a recently-lit cigarette, hovering over an ashtray that already had ash and 2 butts in it. Duo was completely disheveled; his hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and his eyes were droopy and completely bloodshot.

Heero moved to sit opposite Duo and took the cigarette barely held between his fingers. "I thought you quit..." he said as he put it out in the ashtray.

Duo snorted. "Yeah, I did...until now I guess." He glanced at Heero before taking a swig of the beer. "Sorry...I know I'm not supposed to smoke in here..."

"It's ok. You didn't trip the fire alarm so it's really no big deal."

"Right..."

Silence fell over the two, except for the light tapping as Duo's nails made contact with the glass beer bottle. Heero only knew of one time when Duo was like this...and ot wasn't even as bad. After taking a drinking game with Quatre too far, Duo dared him to finish off a half bottle of vodka. Not wanting to be defeated, Quatre did just that...and lost consciousness. Only when Trowa tried to wake him and noticed him foaming at the mouth was Quatre taken to the hospital. This was after Duo left him there sprawled on the floor for over an hour. Quatre suffered from severe alcohol poisoning and was stuck in the hospital for 3 days. Trowa was furious with Duo...and Duo never forgave himself, even after Quatre did. Duo was miserable and depressed for weeks...but not like this.

"You know..." Duo spoke, breaking the silence, "I never stopped to think about the consequences of my actions. I like, always act on impulse you know? Never taking anything else into consideration. Heh, I guess I figured whatever happens afterward, I'll deal with it then." He wiped a stray tear from his cheek before continuing. "I didn't stop to think of the small possibility that a simple phone call would change everything..."

"Was the person you spoke to earlier...?"

"Yeah..." Duo hung his head, letting his hand slip away from the beer bottle. "I'm pretty sure that it was him..."

"...I thought you said he died...?"

Duo let out a stifled laugh. "I know! I thought so too. God, I was so sure of it...but..." He leaned back in the chair, letting his head rest on the back. "He said things to me, Heero. Events...memories...things that he wouldn't have known unless..." he sniffled. "I didn't believe him at first...I mean...how could I? He was dead...he was fucking dead. He said...umm...he said that when we were found, they took him to the hospital and somehow, someway, they revived him. Then he was placed in foster care." Duo sat up as he ran his had through his long bangs. Heero could clearly see the dried tear streaks still stained on his face. "He never stopped thinking about me and as soon as he turned 18 he started looking for me. It was only after he saw my face plastered on the TV after the war ended did he realize who I was. God..." he let his head hit the table with a dull thud.

After a while, Heero could faintly hear muffled sobs escaping Duo's lips. Not knowing what else to do he got up and cleared the table. He threw the bottles in the trash, drained the remaining bottle in sink before tossing it too, and rinsed the ashtray out. Then he went over to Duo and with little effort hoisted him up from the chair. Duo looked at him, small pools of tears forming at his eyelids, threatening to break free as soon as he blinked. Heero squeezed his shoulder gently and subbed his back.

"Come on...try to get some sleep. You can think more in the morning."

"Hn," was Duo's only response as Heero led him out of the kitchen (turning off the light as they left), and up the stairs toward Duo's room. He helped Duo lay comfortably onto the mattress, and as soon as Duo's head hit the pillow, he was out. Heero could hear soft breaths escaped Duo's lips as he picked up the comforter off the floor and draped it over him. Then he quietly left, gently closing the door behind him.

By the time Heero returned to his room it was already 3:30. He planned to be up by 4am. 'Maybe 4:30 would be better.' He thought as he got back in bed and slipped into a seemingly peaceful sleep.

That was what happened a few months ago, and after spending a good month in the pools of depression, Duo made an effort to talk to Solo on a regular basis. It first started out as small talk every few days...then it turned into full length conversations that lasted for hours on end. The only time Duo put down the phone was to grab something to eat or go to sleep. Other than that, the phone might as well have been plastered to his ear. Duo was his normal carefree self again, which Heero was content with. He was glad to see that Duo was able to reunite with someone he obviously cared about very much. Still...he was getting a little annoyed hearing about Solo all day long. He did have his limits. But who was he to rain on Duo's new-found happiness?

This day started out like any other. Heero got up early (as usual), went to work, and came home to find Duo not there because he was at work (they had different shifts). He completed a few things on his laptop before starting to prepare dinner. Since it was a weekday, he would make something simple: instant curry. If Duo didn't like it, he could fend for himself...or order pizza. The recipe was simple enough: prep rice, put in rice cooker, take out curry pouch, mix with water, put mixture in pot, let boil, add vegetables (if desired), let cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat, let cool a little and serve...which is what Heero would've done if he had remembered to turn on the rice cooker.

'Dammit...' he mentally kicked himself for missing a very simple step. 'Well...it could've worse. I could be eating whatever concoction Duo tends to come up with.' He smiled inwardly as he placed the lid over the pot. Once he was reassured that the rice cooker was on, he went to the living room and sat down on the couch. According to the timer, the rice would be ready in 15 minutes. Since he had nothing better to do, he figured that flipping through tv channels seemed like a pretty decent way to pass by the time. Heero wasn't much of tv person. The only shows he watched were whatever Duo picked.

A few minutes only seemed to fly by when Heero heard a rattle of keys followed by the front door opening and closing.

"I'm home!" Duo voice resonated down the hall before he came into view. He slipped off his jacket and tossed it over the armchair that neither of them sat in...ever. Then after letting out a lazy stretch he collapsed on the couch, mere centimeters from Heero. He rested his head on Heero's shoulder while effortlessly retrieving the remote from Heero's hand. "So...Yuy?"

"What?" Heero responded, not really paying Duo much attention.

"You wouldn't have a problem with Solo visiting us, would you?"

Heero glanced in Duo's direction. "...why?"

"Because he asked if he could stop by to see me. You know, so we can hang out and stuff. And..." Duo softly traced small circles on Heero's chest, "he also wanted to meet you too."

"Hn." Heero wasn't fazed.

"So...?" Duo shifted a little to nuzzle Heero's neck. "Is it ok?"

Heero sighed. "Only if you stop flirting with me."

"Great!" Duo planted a quick kiss on his cheek before jumping up. "I'll tell him we'll pick him up at the space port tomorrow."

"What!" Heero nearly choked on his only air intake, which Duo didn't pay any attention to as he was texting. He was still coughing when Duo finally returned his attention to him.

"What?"

"You said tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"But...you just asked if he could visit?"

"Yeah."

"So..." Heero rubbed the back of his neck. "Why so soon?"

"Well..." Duo scratched his head, letting out a nervous laugh. "It's not like this is a last minute thing, you know. He actually bought his ticket last month. I was just too chicken shit to ask you until now, hahaha!" Duo spun around and headed toward kitchen. "You totally don't have a problem with this though, right? I mean, if you do, just say so."

Heero stared in Duo's direction, completely dumbfounded but managed to meekly say no.

"What'd you say Heero? I didn't hear you," Duo called from the kitchen.

"I said no!" Heero replied again, with uncertainty still lingering his voice.

"Great! Trust me, Heero - this is gonna be awesome! We're gonna have so much fun! Hey, curry!"

Heero remained in his position on the couch, completely forgetting the rice, even though the timer on the ricecooker was going off. Duo, however, wasted no time fixing his plate. He was starving.

To be continued

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><p>Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this. I really hope you like it and I hope you stick around for the next chapter. Comments and reviews are greatly appreciated! Oh and a note on the title...it's completely random lol. I dunno it popped up in my head and I thought it worked :). Thanks again!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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><p>"Tell me again why I need to be here?"<p>

"Because you drove."

"We could've taken your car."

"True...but since yours was blocking mine, it only made sense that we take yours."

"I could've moved it."

"Yeah, you could've...then again," Duo thought for a second before continuing, "since you would've already had your car started, it would only make sense to take yours rather than starting up another car and thus polluting the air unnecessarily." He smiled at his clearly annoyed Japanese friend. "See? I do use my brain sometimes."

"Yeah?" Heero said, sarcastically shocked. "Maybe you should do that more often."

"Oh blow me, Yuy."

"Hmph, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

"You have no idea - OW!" Duo jumped up after Heero smacked him over the head with the rolled up newspaper in his hand. "Shit Heero, talk about abuse!"

"Don't say stupid things around me then."

"Nah, teasing you is way too much fun." Duo winked at him before focusing his attention on the arrival and departure screens. "Hmm...his flight should land any minute. I'm gonna see if I can meet him at the checkpoint, k?" Without waiting for a response, he made his way to the escalators and up to the second floor.

Once he was out of sight, Heero got up from his seat and stretched. This was not how he wanted to spend his morning. Solo wasn't someone he knew, and he still didn't see the benefit in him being there when the guy arrived. Duo was more excited about this day than he was...for obvious reasons of course.

Time seemed to move slower than Heero would've liked. Rather than sitting back down, he decided to take a bit of walk...not that there was much to see. The space port itself was massive; but the lobby area seemed kind of pathetic. It didn't need to be spectacular though. It had what was considered necessary: ticketing booths, waiting area, monitors on practically every wall. Then the second floor housed the security checkpoint. From there, you head down the long walkway toward the terminals. At the end of the hall, you had a choice: take a left and head toward the shuttle terminals that mainly traveled to L2, L3, and L5; or take a right to catch a shuttle to L1, L4, or the Moon. Heero never asked Duo where Solo would be flying from, but if he had it guess, it was probably L2...of course he could be completely wrong.

A small chirping noise resonated from Heero's back pocket. Maintaining his leisurely pace, he pulled his phone out and peer at the name displayed on the front screen. Without a moment's hesitation he answered, although deep down he wanted to ignore it.

"Hey, Zechs."

"_Hey, aren't you supposed to be here today?"_

"Yeah - I decided to take off."

"_Is everything alright?"  
><em>

"Yeah. I just umm...well..." Heero tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear. "I'm at the space port."

"_Oh? Are you going somewhere?"_

"No," Heero replied as he turned to walk back the way he came. "Duo's friend is coming to visit so we're here to pick him up...I guess."

"_You guess?"_

"Well I'm still convinced that he could've very well handled this on his own. I don't know why he thought I needed to be dragged along."

"_Maybe because he likes your company?"_

"Right, as much as I like having my time wasted."

Heero could hear Zechs laughing quietly before he spoke. _"Just think of it as a mental break. God knows you need it."_

"Right..." Heero looked toward the escalators and saw his braided dimwit of a friend riding down with someone relatively close behind him. As they seemed to be talking to each other rather animatedly, Heero could only assume one thing. "That must be him."

"_Mission accomplished?"_

Heero smirked. "Funny. Not until we get back home. Talk to you later."

"_Alright, bye."_

"Bye." Heero hung up and put the phone away before joining Duo and the guy he was with.

He was noticeably taller, but only by about a couple inches or so. He had light golden blonde hair with a sleek razor-cut to it, the longest lengths stopping around the base of his neck. His bangs were side-swept to the right, hovering just above his eye. And on his left ear, he had a tiny hoop earring and round silver stud on his lobe, and a small silver ear cuff on the auricle, which Duo was clearly too preoccupied with to notice Heero standing just a few inches away.

"So...did that hurt at all?" He asked as he poked at piece of jewelry.

The guy laughed. "Well yeah at first...but it's not too bad."

"What, you want one now?" Heero asked, finally getting Duo's attention.

"Oh, Heero! There you are," Duo smiled at him, completely ignoring Heero's question. "I want you to meet Solo. Solo, this is Heero, the one you always hear bitching at me for no reason."

Heero raised a brow. "Trust me, I always have a reason. You just choose to ignore them."

Solo chuckled. "I think I can believe that." He extended a hand to Heero. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Heero replied, accepting the greeting, much to Duo's amusement.

"So, Solo, do have everything or did you check in a bag too?" Duo asked.

"Nope, just this." Solo gently patted the strap of his backpack. "I figured this was all I needed for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Heero blinked a few times, before narrowing his eyes at Duo. "I thought you said he'd be here for a couple days."

"No...you only assumed I said that..." Duo replied nervously, inching closer to Solo in an attempt to not be within Heero's grasp...not that Heero was planning on doing anything.

"You said a couple days."

"Yeah...then I said weeks...quitely...you probably didn't hear me."

"Uh..." Solo looked from one to the other. "Are you sure it's ok that I'm here? I mean I don't want to impose..."

"Of course it's fine," Duo said reassuringly, patting Solo's shoulder. "And besides, you're already here so it would be stupid for you just turn around and leave." He looked at Heero. "Right, Heero? I mean, it's only for a couple weeks. It's not like he's moving in."

"Right..." Not willing to push the issue further, Heero turned and headed toward the exit. Duo and Solo followed close behind carrying on their own conversation. Heero really didn't make attempt to pay attention. All he cared about was getting back home so he could drop the two of them off and head into work, even if it was only for a few hours.

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><p>After listening to Duo's insufferable chatter for thirty minutes straight, they finally made it back. Heero placed his keys on the small table by the door and went straight to the kitchen. Duo and Solo came in shortly after.<p>

"Wow...this place is really nice, Duo," Solo expressed as he walked into the living room, eyeing the décor.

Duo laughed. "Well it's nothing compared to Quatre's place, let me tell ya. His mansion makes this look like a halfway house. But whatever, this place is comfy...and very clean thanks to my lovely roommate!" He said the last part loud deliberately, wanting to get a rise out of Heero.

"I'm not going to comment on that," Heero replied as he emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of water in hand.

"So..." Solo looked at Duo. "Where can I put my bag?"

"Oh...ummm..." Duo thought for a second. "I guess you can put it in my room. That's where you're gonna sleep anyway."

"He is?" Heero asked.

"Well yeah," Duo replied as he heading for the stairs. "What? You thought I was gonna let him sleep on the couch? That's kinda rude. Besides, my bed's big enough for two people. It's not a big deal." He signaled Solo to follow. "Come on, I'll show where the bathroom is too." Heero watched as the two of them made their way up the stairs and disappeared around the wall. He, meanwhile, returned to the kitchen, a little annoyed with Duo's response.

Duo opened the door to his room and let Solo walk in first. "Excuse the mess. I clearly don't understand the concept of picking up after myself, putting things away, or making my bed." He proceeded to pick up a few items of clothing from the floor as Solo set his bag against the bed.

"Seriously, Duo, don't worry about it. You're a lot cleaner than my last roommate."

"Really?" Duo opened the closet door and dropped the clothes in the hamper right inside. "That bad?"

"Hell yeah!" Solo sat down on the edge of the bed. "He wouldn't bathe for weeks...maybe even months." He laughed a little. "I swear flies were laying eggs in his hair."

"Oh God - that's fucking gross!" Duo exclaimed plopping down on the bed and falling back.

"Yeah, exactly." Solo looked back at him, a small smile on his face. "It's really nice to see you, you know. Did you ever think this would happen?"

"Uh no. I thought you were dead, remember?" Duo's eyes were fixated on the ceiling. "I mean...talking to you for these past few months was unreal, but this...I consider this an absolute mindfuck."

Solo smirked. "Well I'm glad I turn your mind on."

Duo laughed at that remark, almost not hearing the soft knock on the door. "Yeah, Heero?"

"I'm going to work," Heero said as soon as he poked his head in.

Duo quickly sat up. "What? I thought you took the day off?"

"I did...now I'm going. See ya later." He closed the door and Duo listened to his retreating steps for a few seconds before chasing after him.

"Hey, Heero!" Duo called as he quickly descended down the stairs. Heero was just about to open the front door when Duo made his way to him.

"What?" Heero asked, hand gripping the knob.

"Do you really have to go? You haven't taken any time off for a while, you know."

"I'm working on something important."

"I know...but can't you just relax for day? Plus..." Duo toyed with the end of his braid. "I was hoping we could all go out tonight."

"We can go some other time."

"But-"

"Look..." Heero let out a sigh. "You two go out, have fun, whatever. He'll be here for two weeks, right?"

Duo looked down. "Right..."

"Exactly. There's plenty of time to do something together if you seriously want to." Heero looked at Duo. "Personally, I don't think it's necessary for me to do anything with either of you. He's here to see you, not me."

"I know that...but..." Duo let his arms dangle as he looked at Heero, a disappointed expression on his face. "This is a really important event in my life...and out of everyone, I would really like you to share it with me...that's all."

Heero averted his eyes as to not let himself get affected by Duo's gaze. After taking a moment to think, he shook his head and smirked. "Well...seeing as how I live here, I'm going to be a part of this event, whether I want to or not." He turned the knob. "Don't wait up, k?" He left, softly closing the door behind him.

Duo remained in the same spot for a few moments, his thoughts overcoming his mind. It wasn't uncommon for Heero to go to work at any time, even if it were his day off. And usually, Duo was perfectly fine with it...but this time...he couldn't help but notice how heavy his heart felt. Sighing heavily, he made his way back up the stairs, only to be greeted by Solo, who stood right at the top.

"Did he leave?" Solo asked.

Duo sighed, nodding his head. "He probably won't be back until late...really late."

"Does he do that a lot?"

"I suppose. It's just that he's got a lot of work to do and no one really to help him out. So I guess he feels compelled to get it done.

"...do you love him?"

"What?" Duo eyes shot up at the tall blonde standing in front of him, completely taken aback. "Uh-why would you...?"

"Well..." Solo scratched his head. "It just seems that way, that's all. I mean if you don't then that's totally cool...and if you do then congrats cuz he seems like a good guy."

"He is..." Duo smiled. "He's perfect..." Then frowned. "But I don't. Not at all." He made his way past Solo to his bedroom. Solo followed and closed the door as soon as he was inside.

"I'm sorry, Duo...I really didn't mean ask you anything that made you uncomfortable. If my question was out of line..."

Duo shook his head. "No its fine, no biggie." He gave Solo a carefree smile, who in turn returned the gesture.

* * *

><p>Heero came in the back of the building to avoid as many people as possible. He really just wanted to slip into his office and close the door. He wasn't there for small talk or to catch up on the latest gossip...not that he cared about any of that. But right before he could get in...<p>

"Hey Yuy, I didn't think I'd see you today," Wufei said as he walked over.

Heero looked over at him. "Well I wasn't planning on seeing you either...or anyone else for that matter."

Wufei shrugged. "I won't tell as long as I can stay in here for an hour."

"Avoiding Sally?" Heero asked as he moved out of the way to let Wufei in before shutting the door, effectively separating themselves from the world outside.

"You know it. That woman has been driving me crazy since she found that multi-titanium shard thing a few months ago."

"She any closer to finding out the origin?"

"Without Duo? Not really."

"Oh right..." Heero sat down at his desk and booted up the laptop. "Well she's gonna have to wait til he comes back."

"Did he really take off two weeks?" Wufei occupied one of the chairs lined up against the wall perpendicular to Heero.

"Yeah..." Heero leaned back in his chair. "His friend's here visiting."

"Oh...that Solo guy..." Wufei grunted. "I still think he's a fraud."

"Well then he's a damn good one cuz Duo's convinced."

"Are you?" Wufei shot him a questioning look.

"I'm in no position to question it. Duo's the only one that can tell, and if he says that this guy's the real deal, then it's him."

"Hmph, we could always do a DNA test...anonymously of course."

Heero smiled that the idea. "True...but is it really worth it?"

"Nope."

* * *

><p>As soon as night fell on the city, Duo and Solo went to a casual restaurant for dinner. He could've made something at home...but he figured it'd be best to let the professionals prepare a meal, then him wing it and risk burning down the house, and Heero beating him senseless...not that he would.<p>

The two of them chatted and laughed together the entire time. Through appetizers, the entrées, and 4 drinks a piece, the conversations remained constant. Duo was having a really good time, and with someone he hadn't spend a full day with yet. For a split second, he wondered why he and Heero couldn't be this way, too, seeing as how they had been living together for 2 years.

"So..." Duo said as soon as the waiter brought their refills, "do you have a girlfriend? Boyfriend?"

Solo shook his head after taking a sip. "We broke up about 3 weeks ago."

"Really?" Duo ran his finger along the rim of his glass. "What happened?"

"Nothing dramatic. We just decided that we weren't into each other anymore." He smiled. "It was pretty amicable."

"That's good." Duo smiled back. "That's like the best way to end it with someone."

"Yep." Solo slouched a little in chair. "What about you? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?"

Duo shook his head as he took a drink. "The last relationship I was in ended a month after I moved in with Heero."

Solo laughed. "What? He couldn't handle your overbearing roommate?"

"Haha, no! It wasn't like that. I just...I dunno." He shrugged. "I guess didn't want a boyfriend anymore."

"So Heero had nothing to do with it?"

"Nope...and he's not overbearing at all. He's just...stubborn sometimes..."

"Oh." Solo let out a sigh as he stretched a bit. "So...no relationship for what...2, almost 3 years?" When Duo nodded at the question, a smile crept up on Solo's face. "Well, I guess that means you're long overdue then, huh?"

Duo leaned back, eyeing Solo very carefully. After a few moments of silence, he simply smiled and picked up his glass. "Yeah, I guess." He said before downing the rest of what was left.

To be continued...

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><p>Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next one will be posted soon. Comments and reviews greatly appreciated!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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><p>By the time Duo woke up, it was already a quarter past 11; his first available window to talk to Heero had come and gone. Ever since their little talk the day before, Duo had an unsettling feeling, and an overwhelming desire to confront him about it...even though he really didn't understand what exactly to confront him with. It wasn't the first time that Heero opted not to go out, but this time, it was different...or at least felt different. It was almost as if Heero rejected him...and whether he intended to or no was unclear to Duo, so that was something that needed an answer...and then there was something else; Duo just couldn't quite figure what.<p>

After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, Duo made his way down the stairs and to the kitchen, catching the scent of eggs and...french toast?

'Since when does Heero know how to make that...and why is he still here...?' A calm feeling swept over him as Heero's name clouded his thoughts. He wasn't upset with him anymore, and the mere thought of seeing him sent chills running up and down his spine. He was happy, even though a few minutes ago, he wanted nothing more than to give Heero a piece of his mind. Taking a deep breath, Duo strolled into the kitchen, prepared to say something quirky that would throw Heero off guard - he swallowed back his words as soon as he saw the person standing by the stove. 'I knew it was too good to be true...since when does Heero randomly just stay home...?'

"You cook?" Duo asked, getting Solo's attention.

"Oh you're awake. For a minute there I thought you'd sleep through the whole morning."

"Yeah, I tend to do that sometimes," Duo replied as he retrieved the orange juice from the fridge. He then grabbed a glass from the dish rack. "So you didn't answer my question." He walked over to stand next to Solo, sipping the orange juice in hand. "You never said that you could cook."

"You never asked," Solo said, smiling. "Besides, I'm not really good at it. I only know how to make 2 or 3 things confidently. But I'm sure if someone made the same thing, it would be 10 times better than mine."

"Right...whatever." Duo patted Solo's shoulder. "Don't worry, I trust you. And if I do die from your food, at least I can say I died happy."

"Huh?" Solo gave him a puzzled look. "Why would say that?"

"Because..." Duo smiled at him. "I spent my last moment with you..." The room fell silent, except for the soft crackling coming from the skillet. The air surrounding them steadily changed, to the point where it was almost unbearable. It reminded Duo of the night before, when they were at the restaurant...and Solo said something that caught him off guard. He shook his head and laughed. "That was really corny, huh?" He played with his braid as he took a seat at the table, effectively putting a tolerable distance between the two of them.

Solo watched for a little while before shaking his head. "Yeah, it's was. Don't say it again, please?"

"Not planning on it."

"Good," Solo replied, laughing a little. He prepared his and Duo's plates before joining him at the table. "So what's the plan today?"

"Well...I was thinking about taking to the office. That way, you a can meet everybody."

"Everybody?"

"Yeah, my friends." Duo put a piece of toast in his mouth. "You know: Quatre, Trowa, Wufei. I talked about them last night."

"Right. Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean..." Solo fidgeted a bit. "What if they don't like me?"

Duo stifled a laugh. "You're making it sound like you're about to meet my parents. Please! Those guys are cool. And you're cool. So I'm pretty sure everything'll be fine."

"Yeah..." Solo let out a sigh. "That's what you said about Heero and well..."

"Heero's different." Duo shook his head. "Don't worry. You'll grow on him. In fact, I'm going to talk to him today about it."

"Why?"

"Because..." Duo shrugged. "I want to I guess."

"Ok...but do you think that's a good idea?"

'I don't know...but I'm going to anyway.' Duo finished off his orange juice, not saying another word.

* * *

><p>The meeting ending a lot later than anyone really expected. On top of what was on the agenda, Noin brought up a few things that remained unresolved. The main one she pressed was who would volunteer to accompany Relena on her 6-month tour of the colonies. It wouldn't happen until next year, but Noin was known as an early planner so everyone knew she would be bring it up eventually. She wanted two to with Relena on this trip: one to serve as her bodyguard and the other to help set up Preventer locations within each colony cluster. Relena had requested that Heero be one of them, but he declined.<p>

Relena was important and her safety was always top priority when she was around; but Heero knew that she wanted more from him than what he was willing to give her. His friendship used to be enough; she was content with just that for a while. But things changed. He didn't really know what happened; however when she threw herself at him during a get-together at her house, he decided that it would be best if they stayed a part for a while. That happened about a year ago...and Heero hadn't seen her since, mostly because he continued to avoid her.

If Zechs hadn't spoken up, the meeting probably would've gone on longer than it did. He decided to accompany Relena - she was his sister after all. Noin thanked him for volunteering, and decided she could wait a little longer for someone else to step up. She was the first one to leave the conference room, followed by Wufei and Sally, then Zechs. Quatre, Heero, and Trowa left together, heading in the opposite direction than their comrades. Quatre's and Heero's offices were in the same location, and since Trowa really didn't have anything else to do, so he figured spending a little time with Quatre would be a good way to kill time. This wasn't unusual for him to do - they had been exclusive for a long time.

"Glad that's over," Quatre commented as they walked. Heero and Trowa nodded in agreement. Neither spoke as they continued down the hall to their destination. When they made their way around the corner, Heero noticed a certain brunette standing outside his office door...along with a blonde. He frowned, but before he could say something, Quatre spoke up.

"Duo!" He quickly made his way over to Duo and hugged him heartily. "I thought you took this week off."

"I did," Duo responded. "I just wanted to stop by so you all could meet Solo..." He looked back at Solo who was standing a couple feet away. "And..." he gazed at Heero. "I need to talk to you."

Heero blinked. "Now?"

"Well not this very second. Introductions are more important." Duo reached over to Solo and grabbed his hand, pulling him closer. "Don't be so shy, they're harmless," he said, laughing a little at Solo's nervous demeanor.

"Umm...hi," he managed to say and waved briefly.

"Any friend of Duo's is a friend of mine," Quatre said before giving him a quick hug, much to Solo's surprise. "I'm Quatre."

"Nice to meet you," Solo said, a little taken aback by Quatre's gesture. "Duo said you were the nice one but I didn't think you'd be so welcoming."

Quatre shrugged, smiling. "What can I say? It's my nature."

"Nice..." Solo turned his gaze to Trowa. "And you must be Trowa...the tall brunette who barely says two words when Quatre's not around."

Trowa smirked. "Is that how Duo described me...spot on." He shook Solo's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You too."

"So!" Duo shoved his hands in his pockets. "What are you guys doing? Going to a meeting or something"

"Actually, we're just returning from one." Quatre glanced at Trowa. "I'm gonna finish up a few things, then I think Trowa and I are gonna head outta here early."

"Oh? You guys got plans?" Duo winked, which made Quatre laugh.

"No, of course not. We're just done for the day, that's all."

Duo rolled his eyes. "You guys are no fun." He glanced at Heero, who was leaning up against the wall, clearly not interested in joining in the conversation. Duo tried not to let it bother him, and continued. "Hey, where's Wufei? I want Solo to meet him too."

"He's probably gone by now," Trowa said.

"Oh...damn..." Duo hung his head.

"It's no big deal," Solo said, patting Duo on the shoulder. "I can meet him other time. It's not like I'm leaving tomorrow."

"How about this weekend?" Quatre suggested. "Wufei was planning on coming over so we could go over a few things. We could all get together and make a little party out of it."

Duo's eyes lit up. "Yeah, that'd be great!" He nudged Solo with his elbow. "And he can see how massively rich you are, too."

Quatre laughed, shaking his head. "Duo, I'm not that rich."

"Yeah, bullshit! Don't try to downplay it." Duo was having such a nice chat with Quatre that he barely noticed Heero slip into his office. That irritated him a little. "Uh...yeah, give me a minute," he said before going in after Heero and shutting the door.

Knowing that Duo would take longer than a minute, Quatre casually grabbed Solo's arm. "So, Solo, would you like some coffee? Or maybe water?"

"Umm...water would be good."

"Great!" Quatre led him to his office, Trowa following behind.

Meanwhile, in Heero's office, the tension between two individuals was steadily rising. Heero didn't know that Duo followed him in until he heard the door close; and now he was sort of wishing he locked it as soon as he entered.

"What?" Heero asked calmly.

Duo stared right at him, not moving an inch away from the door. "I said I needed to talk to you."

"Ok...so talk."

Duo exhaled sharply. "I was wondering if you could...I dunno...be a little bit more...welcoming...to Solo." He waited for Heero to give him a cold response...or something that would spark Duo's annoyance. He didn't quite get that.

Heero folded his arms. "How much more welcoming do you want me to be?"

"Well...maybe speak to him a little bit."

"He's only been here for a day."

"I know, and in one day he already thinks that you don't like him."

"Why should I care what he thinks?"

"Because I care."

"Why?"

"Because..." When Duo could think of a quick answer, he let out an exasperated sigh. "Look..." He started to walk toward Heero. "I know you're a little annoyed with me because I waited until the last minute to tell you that Solo was coming, and for not telling you how long he would stay. And I know you could care less if you ever talk to him or hang with him or whatever. AND I'm sure you don't give a shit about whether or not you two get along. But..." Duo stopped just a few feet in front of Heero. "I hope that I'm important enough to you that you'll try...even a little..."

"Duo..." Heero didn't know how to respond.

What Duo said wasn't false. Heero was annoyed with him, very annoyed. The only reason he agreed to it was because Duo wanted it. If he had followed his initial instincts, he would've vehemently refused. He didn't know anything about Solo - he was nothing more than a complete stranger to him. So of course he would be apprehensive about letting the guy stay with them. It didn't matter if Duo trusted him or not; he didn't, and probably wouldn't by the time Solo's visit ended. As far as Heero was concerned, he didn't need to do anything to make Solo's stay more pleasant. He had no interest in talking to him or getting to know him. But still...

"Fine..."

A smile slowly formed on Duo's face and he wrapped his arms around Heero's neck. "Thank you...you have no idea how much this means to me." He softly pressed his lips against his cheek.

Heero sighed. "That wasn't necessary..."

"I know..." Duo pulled away just enough to look into Heero's eyes. "I wanted to..."

"Right..." Heero took a step back, letting Duo's arms slip away. "So...what do you want me to do? Ask him about the weather?"

Duo scoffed. "Don't be a smartass. I've got a better idea anyway."

"What?"

"Come out with us Friday night. We're going to Red."

"Red...the club?"

"Yeah."

"I dunno..." Heero wasn't one for the club scene. That was more of what Duo was into. Couldn't he have come up with something that was more...neutral ground?

"Come on, it'll be fun. Promise," Duo gave him a pleading look. "Please?"

"Ok I'll...I'll think about it."

"Great!" Duo clasped his hands together, a bright smile plastered on his face. "Ok, so I'm gonna head back. See ya later." With that, Duo left to head back home.

* * *

><p>The week seemed to pass by rather quickly. Following Duo's request, Heero tried his best to speak to Solo when the opportunity presented itself, which wasn't very often since Heero was always gone by the time Duo and Solo woke up. But at least the minimal interactions he had with Solo were keeping Duo at bay. Before he knew it, Friday had arrived, and he still hadn't fully decided whether or not to go out with them that night. He really didn't want to...but he had a feeling that not going would have a consequence he didn't think he'd like.<p>

He spent the day on his laptop, trying to focus on work, rather than the impending decision that needed to be made. Duo didn't bother him - he was too busy hanging out with Solo, doing whatever. When Heero went downstairs earlier for a quick snack, he saw them watching tv in the living room. When one or both came up the stairs, he could hear their muffled voices, and could make out a few words, not that he was trying to eavesdrop.

It was around 8:00 pm when he cellphone rang, taking his mind out of its workaholic state. He checked the caller id before answering.

"Hey Zechs."

"_Hey. How's everything?"_

"Good." Heero held the phone between his ear and shoulder so he could continue working. "You?"

"_I'm good. Hey...umm...what are you doing?"_

"Working."

Zechs laughed. _"Is that all you do?"_

"I sleep too, and I do eat on occasion," Heero responded dryly, making Zechs laugh again.

"_Well have you eaten yet?"_

Heero paused for a little while before answering. "No, not really. I mean, I had an apple."

"_Do you wanna grab a bite? I need to talk to you about something."_

"Can't talk about it over the phone?"

"_I could...but I would rather speak to you face to face."_

"Ok...when?"

"_I'll be at your house in 10 minutes."_

"Wha-you're already on your way."

"_Of course. Don't wanna waste anytime."_

"Right..." Heero shook his head as smile formed on his face. "See you in 10 then."

"_Alright, bye."_

"Bye." As soon as he got off the phone, Heero set his laptop to sleep mode and got up from his desk. He put on his shoes and grabbed his jacket before leaving the room. As he headed downstairs he could hear Duo and Solo chattering in the kitchen. Part of him hoped he could slip away without Duo noticing; wishful thinking. Duo heard Heero coming down the steps and came out to see him.

"Hey! About time you left your roo-where are you going?" He asked as he saw Heero pick up his keys.

"Umm...I'll be right back."

"Ok...but where are you going?"

"Out for a little bit. It won't take long." He turned to look at Duo. "What time do you want to go to the umm...the club?"

"We were thinking of leaving at around 11:30."

"I'll be back before then."

"Ok..." Duo smiled. "Have fun then."

Heero gave him a quick smile before walking out, closing the door behind him. He didn't know why he couldn't tell him that he was going to see Zechs. It wasn't unknown that the two of them didn't like each other - they could barely stand being in the same room. But it wasn't like Duo had a problem with Heero hanging out with him. And if he did have a problem with it, Heero wouldn't have cared. Zechs was a good friend, and there was nothing Duo could say or do to make him end it.

By the time he made it to the end of the driveway, Zechs pulled up along the street. Heero got in without hesitation.

"Hey," he said as soon as he closed the door.

"Hey," Zechs replied, smiling at him.

"So...what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"I'll tell you soon. Enjoy the ride for now." With that, Zechs put the car and took off down the road. A few moments of driving and Zechs pulled into the drive-thru of the nearest fastfood place. "You like burgers, right?"

"Umm...sure."

Zechs ordered for them and after getting the food and paying, they were on the road again, heading to a location only known to him. After about a 30 minute drive, he pulled into an empty lot and parked his car. Heero looked around to see if he could recognize anything - the area was completely unfamiliar to him. He looked at Zechs questioningly.

"What's going on?"

Zechs turned off the car and started sifting through the fast-food bag. He handed Heero one of the wrapped burgers and a cup of fries. Then he unwrapped the one that was left and began eating, not paying attention to Heero focusing his gaze on him. Neither one spoke while Zechs ate; all that could be heard was the sound of the wrapper. Heero didn't open his; he was too busy contemplating what the hell Zechs was planning.

A few minutes passed and Zechs finished. He wiped his mouth with one of the napkins, then reclined his seat as far back as he could go. "I like to come here at night when no one's around. It helps me think more clearly." When Heero didn't respond right away, Zechs looked over at him. "What? You're not hungry?"

"You brought me out here to muse?"

Zechs chuckled. "No...actually, I brought you to here to ask you something."

"Ok...what is it?"

Zechs let out a deep sigh before speaking again. "I want you to come with me to the colonies."

"No."

Zechs blinked. "Why?"

"Because I don't want to work with Relena." Heero looked out the side window.

"You wouldn't be."

"Then what would I be doing?"

"I recommended to Lady Une that she appoint you as the director of the Colony's entire Preventer unit, which would mean that you would responsible for standing up the bases within each cluster, and maintaining them."

"You what...?" Heero gave Zechs an incredulous look. "Wha...why would you do that?"

"Because you're the best qualified person for the job."

"I don't want it."

"Why?" Zechs sat up a little. "It's not like you have any ties to this place, right? And think of the amount of good you'd do up there. Earth may not give a shit about you, but the colonies consider you a hero, Heero."

"Nice pun..." Heero said rolling his eyes as he looked away again.

"Thanks...but in all seriousness, though, you should really consider it. And anyway, the trip is 6 months away. Plenty of time to decide."

"Right..." Heero unwrapped his burger and took a bite. "So...was that all?"

"No..." Zechs brought his seat back up. "There's one more thing."

"Ok...what?"

"I'm still in love with you."

Heero glanced over at Zechs before taking another bite. "So what else is new?"

That response made Zechs let out a warm laugh, not the least bit fazed by it. "I had a feeling you'd say that...or at least something similar."

"Hn." Heero grabbed a fry and nibbled on it for a bit before putting the whole thing in his mouth. This was not the first time that Zechs had declared his true feelings to Heero. He had done it at least 5 times previously. The first time he uttered those 3 words to Heero was during the Christmas season of his 17th year alive. He always thought it was completely random and completely unexpected. What really tripped him out was when Zechs grabbed his face and pulled him for a lip-locked, sloppy, tongue-probing kiss. Heero was not prepared for that type of action. He shoved Zechs away and punched him so hard he broke his hand and almost shattered Zechs's cheekbone. He stopped trying to kiss Heero after that. Now he just says it randomly, no actions included...unless of course Heero agreed to it first, which has yet to happen.

Food done, Heero and Zechs sat in the car, completely silent. They watched as the clouds slowly drifted by, hiding some stars while exposing others. Before Heero knew it, time started to fly by and he barely remembered to check his watch.

"Shit..." he said quietly, eyeing the time on his watch - it was 11:00pm.

"What is it?"

"I told Duo I would be back in time to go out with him and Solo."

"Oh? Where are you guys going?"

"This club called Red...I think." Heero turned when hear heard Zechs stifle a laugh. "What? Is there something wrong with that place?"

"No, it's not that. It's just..." Zechs raised a brow. "You don't seem like the clubbing type."

"I'm not at all...but he wants me to try and hang out with him and that guy so..."

"Why? He's Duo's friend, not yours. You don't need to do anything with him."

Heero sighed. "My feelings exactly."

"Then don't go," Zechs replied, shaking his head. "I mean if Duo seriously wanted you to hang out with them, he should've picked something that ALL of you would like to do, not just him."

Heero smiled at Zechs. "You know...you and I think too much alike."

"Which is why we should date," Zechs said smiled.

Heero scoffed, "Don't push your luck." He looked around. "So...is there anywhere else we can go?"

"Well..." Zechs thought for a minute before continuing, "if you're not in the mood to go back home, we could always go to my place?"

Heero narrowed his eyes at Zechs. "You're better not try anything."

"Of course not..." Zechs smirked. "I'm not my sister." With that, Zechs started up his car and they were gone within minutes.

To be continued...

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><p>Author's Note: I didn't plan on ending the chapter like this (I'm not really fond of how it ended), but...I need a break lol. I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open and as much as I wanted to type out the true ending of this chapter, I'll just have to include it in the next. Anyway reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. And I'll see you in the next chapter (which will be posted soon) :)<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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><p>The clock read 11:45pm, Heero still hadn't come back, and Duo was beyond aggravated. He had spent the last 30 mins calling Heero's number and leaving voicemails, and sending text messages, but no response was ever received. His blood boiled; of everything that someone could do to piss him off, lying was one of the worst, and Heero did just that. Whether intentional or not was irrelevant now. As far as Duo was concerned, Heero didn't care. If he did, then he would've made every effort to make it back in time to go; or, if he really didn't want to, he could've said something. By not returning home and not bothering to return any of Duo's calls, Duo was reaching the conclusion that Heero just didn't give a shit about his feelings...but coming to the realization wasn't easy...and every time he tried to tell himself that this was fact, his chest tightened up. It was a possibility that he was reading too much into it. Maybe Heero got into an accident? Or maybe he didn't bring his phone with him?<p>

'Hmph, yeah right. As if that would happen.' Duo thought as he continued to pace back and forth in the living room, gripping his phone tightly. He was trying to resist the urge to redial Heero's number. Solo came down the steps, dressed and ready to go.

"Still can't get a hold of him?" He asked.

Duo shook his head. "No...God this is so fucking stupid. Why do I even bother?" he hit the redial button on his phone and pressed it against his ear. It rang over...and over...and over...and over...then...

_This is He__ero. I'm busy. Leave a message. _

"Dammit!" Duo hung up furiously. "I can't believe he did this!"

Solo watched Duo as he plopped down on the couch, burying his face in his hands. After a few moments, he let out a sigh and sat down next to his friend.

"Hey, if you don't want to go...we don't have to," Solo said as he rubbed Duo's back. "We can just stay here and chill tonight."

Duo shook his head. "No..." he wiped the moisture from his eyes before looking at Solo. "I don't wanna be here when he gets back. I don't wanna see him right now."

Solo nodded, a small smile on his face. "Good...cuz I already called a cab."

"You did?"

"Yeah," Solo shrugged. "I was really hoping that you wouldn't cancel our plans."

Duo laughed. "Of course I wouldn't. I'm not gonna let Heero ruin this night." He jumped up to his feet. "I'm gonna finish getting ready," he said before making his way up the stairs.

Letting out a sigh Solo got up and took a quick look out the window to check if the cab arrived yet. He was also making sure that Heero hadn't returned. Not that he had a problem with him, Solo just wanted to spend the night with Duo alone. It was already proven that Heero didn't have to be around for Duo to be impacted by him. Thoughts of him alone were enough to torment Duo to the point that nothing or no one else mattered. Solo had only been there for almost a week, and even he could see the chemistry the two exuded for eachother. But Duo didn't readily admit it, and Solo had a suspicion that Heero wouldn't either. But whatever, if Solo wanted to have a night out with Duo NOT brooding over the stoic brunette, he'd have to do something a little extreme; and he already had a plan in mind...he just hoped that Duo would be open enough to the idea.

* * *

><p>Red was located on downtown's west end, which was known for being a pretty risky area, filled with sketchy people and a lot illegal dealings. It wasn't rare to see an undercover cop car or two stroll through, trying to be inconspicuous; Duo could spot them easily. It was something about their presence that differed from the norm in the area. But Duo never concerned himself with it. He didn't come to that area for anything illegal.<p>

The club seemed a little more crowded than usual and in full swing with at least a hundred or so youths packed onto the dancefloor in the center of the large room. Almost as many hung back in the shadows of the walls. It didn't take a genius to guess what they were doing, but no one would disturb them - they didn't care enough. The near-deafening music blared overhead, the heavy bass throbbing through the humid air as sweaty bodies pressed against each other, entranced by the incandescent bliss of it all. This was where Duo tended to spend his Friday nights, the best method for him to wind down after a long week at work. This time, however, he desperately needed to get out of the rut he was in so and Solo could have a good time.

Duo pushed his way through the crowd, Solo following close behind, and made his way to the bar. Once there he spotted one of the bartenders he recognized and waved him over. "Hey, Cross! Get over here!"

A guy with shoulder-length black hair gave Duo a sly look, then walked toward him; as soon as he got close enough, he leaned over and kissed him full on the lips, catching Duo completely off guard. Solo was just as equally shocked. After a couple seconds (although it felt longer), Duo pulled away.

"What the hell!" Duo exclaimed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. This motion, however, didn't take away the lingering taste of cigarettes, and the shot of vodka Cross conveniently housed in his mouth and passed to Duo through the kiss.

Cross smirked. "Sorry, I had too. You're fucking hot." He ran a hand through his hair as he turned his attention to Solo. "Well hello there..." his eyes trailed up and down Solo's frame.

Solo blinked a few times, not really wanting to know what was on this guy's mind at the moment. "Uh...hi?"

"This must be the hot roommate I hear so much about right, Duo?" Cross asked, eyes still trained on Solo

Duo yanked Solo closer to him. "Stop looking at him like he's a piece of meat! And no, this is not my 'hot' roommate. As if I could get him to take two steps into this place."

"Right...you did say he was somewhat of a goody-goody." Cross extended a hand to Solo. "My apologies - no hard feelings right?"

"Riiight..." Solo replied, cautiously accepting the seemingly friendly handshake.

Duo shook his head. "Anyway, Cross, where's my table?"

"Hold on, I need to - Hey Roxy!" Cross caught the attention of a redheaded scantily-clad girl as she was walking by. "Make sure that spot over there is cleaned up and clear for me."

"You got it." The girl winked at him before disappearing into the crowd.

"So, how about a drink while you wait?" Cross pointed at Duo. "I already know what you want." He looked over to Solo. "What'll it be?"

"Umm...how about a fuzzy cola?"

"Coming up." Cross turned around and started making the drinks. After a little while, he turned back and set two glasses down in front of them. "Give me a kiss and I won't charge you."

Duo raised a brow. "You're fucking kidding me, right?"

Cross chuckled. "Oh come on, I used to ask for more than that...a lot more." He licked his lips and leaned in closer. "One kiss and you and your friend can drink as much as you want, promise."

Duo looked at him skeptically. "Just a kiss...that's all?"

"You know it, baby."

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Duo bent forward, inching closer to Cross's awaiting lips...then kissed him on the cheek and grabbed the drinks.

"Thanks!" Duo said beaming as he handed Solo's drink to him. He was pleased with the stupefied look plastered on Cross's face. "Hey, you said a kiss. You didn't say what kind."

Cross gaped before letting out a guttural laugh. "You are such a tease. You know, if you weren't just a good fuck I would've told you to fuck off a long time ago."

"Good thing I am then, huh? See ya in 10 minutes with our refills."

Duo took Solo's hand and together they made their way to the table Cross reserved for them. Roxy had just finished clearing off the empty glasses when they showed up. After thanking her, they sat down and remained silent for a while, watching the crowd as they grinded to the music resonating throughout the club. A few more minutes, and Solo finally spoke up.

"You have very...colorful friends."

Duo took a sip of his drink before answering. "Cross isn't a friend. He's more like a...umm...I dunno...a good buddy, I guess."

"Oh...so you fuck your buddies?" Solo asked in a clever tone, receiving an annoyed look.

"It's not like that...besides I've only slept with him a couple times...and it was a long time ago."

"So he was your boyfriend?"

Duo shook his head. "No...definitely not. There was nothing intimate about it. It was just more or less.." Duo cheeks flustered a bit, "...casual."

Solo blinked a few times, keeping his gaze on Duo while the boy looked away, sucking on his drink like a vacuum. He smiled, chuckling softly. "That's not something to be embarrassed Duo. So you have sex recreationally. That's cool - it's no big deal."

"I don't do it all the time," Duo said as he put down his glass. "And I'm not embarrassed. I just...don't want you to think I'm...I dunno..."

"Duo, relax." Solo grabbed Duo's hand and squeezed it gently. "There's nothing you can do or say that will make me think less of you. I'm glad that you're being yourself and not trying to change just because I'm here."

That made Duo smile, and he squeezed back. "Come on, let's go dance."

Solo smiled nodding in agreement.

* * *

><p>Heero stirred awake to the sound of running water. Remaining where he was, he looked around, unfamiliar with the scenery surrounding him. This was definitely not his house, and the couch he was laying on was not as comfortable as his. The tv in front of him was on mute, and there was a faint light coming from a hallway. He sat up and scratched his head. Then realization swept over him - he was at Zechs's place. Instinctly, he checked to make sure his clothes were still intact...not that he believed Zechs would've tried anything. Satisfied that he was untouched, Heero quickly retrieved his shoes and put them on. The digital clock atop the tv flashed 2:50am. He had never stayed out this late. It was better to get home quickly before he got a worried call from Duo.<p>

After locating his phone and keys on the kitchen counter, Heero tried to quietly slip out of the apartment that Zechs called home...only to have Zechs emerge.

"You're awake," he said, towel in hand.

Heero turned to look at him. "Yeah, I gotta get going."

"Ok, I'll drive you."

"No, it's ok. I'll just take a cab."

"Don't be silly." Zechs tossed the towel on the floor and retrieved his keys. "Come on."

Heero relented and went with Zechs to his car. Thirty minutes later they arrived in front of Heero's house. Duo's car sat in the driveway, so Heero concluded that he was already there. 'Hopefully he's sleeping already.'

"Thanks," Heero said as he unbuckled the seatbelt.

"No problem. So I'll see you at work on Monday?"

"Yeah. Bye." Heero gave him a quick smile, then got out of the car, gently closing the door behind him. It was typical for Zechs to wait until Heero entered the house before pulling away. This made Heero feel like a helpless damsel and surely Zechs knew that that couldn't be further from the truth. But seeing as how Heero nev was in the mood for confrontation he never pushed the issue.

As soon as he opened the door and stepped inside, Heero could hear Zech's car drive away. He set his keys down in the usual spot by the door and went straight to his room. It was very quiet throughout the house, and walking past Duo's room, he didn't hear a peep. 'Good, he's asleep.'

Once inside the well-known confines of his room, he took off his shirt and tossed it on the ground, too tired to care where it landed. After he swapped his jeans for comfortable sweatpants, he crawled into bed, relishing in the sensation of the covers brushing up against his body. It didn't take long for Heero to succumb to sleep, letting his eyes slide closed. Serenity enveloped his mind for few good moments...only to be shattered by the sound of something tumbling up the stairs.

Heero squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out whatever was going on outside of his room, but they fluttered open at the sound of something hitting the wall, followed by Duo's muffled laughter. It was all too obvious to him that Duo had just retuned home. 'Perfect...just perfect. If he broke something, I swear...'

Groggily, Heero got outta bed and made his way to the door. He rubbed his eyes as he opened it and prepared to chew Duo out for making so much noise. But as soon as he caught sight of the scene before him, the words instantly left and he froze.

Duo was pressed against the wall, lips captured by Solo's own in a fierce kiss. One of Solo's hands firmly gripped Duo's hip while the other slipped under Duo's shirt and rubbed his chest. Duo moaned softly as his hands were busily trying to unbuckle the belt securing Solo's pants. Both were oblivious to the fact that Heero was watching them in complete shock and disbelief, eyes wide and mouth partly open. Only when an involuntary noise escaped Heero's lips did Duo break the kiss and turn to look directly at him. Solo latched onto his exposed neck, getting an encouraging sigh in response.

Heero and Duo stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity before Duo seemed to snap back to reality, finally realizing who he had been staring at for the past several seconds.

"Heero, you're here!" Duo dislodged from Solo and practically tackled Heero, almost knocking him to the ground. "What the fuck, dude! You totally missed out on a good time!" he exclaimed, wrapping his slim arms around Heero's neck.

"Yeah...," Heero managed to respond, still stuck on the image of what transpired just moments earlier. "Wha...what are you doing?"

"Oh nothing," Duo replied, nuzzling Heero's neck. "Just having a little fun, that's all."

"You missed out, Heero," Solo said, leaning up against the wall.

Anger flickered in Heero's eyes as he glanced at Solo. "Yeah well, don't let me interrupt." He proceeded to gently push Duo off of him, but he didn't budge.

"No wait a sec, I wanna have fun with you," Duo said, tightened his hold. He pressed his body against Heero, exhaling softly. "Hmm, you feel nice."

Heero shivered at Duo's close contact. "Right...now let go."

"Why?" Duo rubbed his cheek against Heero's. "Don't you wanna chill with me?"

"It's late. I'm gonna go to bed."

"Oh come on, just a little while, ok?" Duo ran his fingers through Heero's hair, planting a small kiss on his cheek, then trailing down toward his neck.

Heero subconsciously tilted into the contact. "You're drunk."

Duo chuckled a little bit. "I'm a lot more than that..."

Solo laughed as well, pushing himself off the wall. "Yeah...that's obvious, don't ya think, Duo?"

Duo shot a devious look at Solo. "Shut up, you'll ruin my fun here."

That was enough for Heero. He was used to Duo being a sloppy drunk, but not obnoxious. All that did was piss him off. "Ok, enough Duo. Let go." He attempted to pull Duo's arms away from his neck. This only made him push against Heero more.

"No, Heero, I wanna hang with you a little bit. Don't you wanna have any fun?"

"No, I don't. Now let go." Heero finally was able to get his neck free, but as soon as Duo arms released, they snaked around his waist. 'Dammit it all!' Heero thought as he took a step back in order to keep his balance.

Duo gently bit down on Heero's neck. "Don't ruin this for me, please. Besides, I don't wanna let you go - you feel too nice...it's almost intoxicating." He gently brushed his lips against Heero's. "Don't ya think?"

Heero gripped Duo's shoulders and tried to push his friend away without using too much force. He glared at him. "Stop it right now, Duo - I mean it." He glared at him as he spoke, his voice giving a clear indication that he was not joking around.

Duo didn't heed this warning at all. Instead, he pressed his lips against Heero's, pulling him closer to his body. Heero completely was at a loss. Was Duo seriously kissing him, seriously? Usually during his drunken stupor, Duo just collapsed on the couch or ended up sprawled out on the living room floor. Never had he full on made out with someone in front of Heero. And his flirtations were never this bad either; he never tried to kiss Heero before...drunk or sober. This definitely wasn't the typical Duo he was used to...and it hurt.

When he felt Duo's slip his tongue into his mouth, Heero snapped. He forcefully shoved Duo away and, without thinking, connected his fist to Duo's face, knocking him to the ground several feet away. Solo quickly rushed to Duo's side, who was completely bewildered by what happened.

"What the fuck is your problem!" Solo exclaimed, glaring intensely at Heero.

Heero chose not to respond. Instead he watched carefully as Solo helped Duo to his feet. Duo winced in pain as he lightly touched the left side of his face which was already forming signs of bruising. Then, he stared angrily at Heero, tears glistening as they formed.

"Fuck you, Heero!" Duo shouted. "I can't believe you hit me, you fucking asshole! God, what the fuck is your damn problem!"

Heero stood before him, unfazed. After a few moments, he spoke. "I'm going to do you a favor. I'm going to pretend that tonight's events didn't happen. After tonight, I won't bring it up, and I won't hold it against you." He scoffed. "Knowing you, you probably won't remember anyway." He then turned around to enter his room.

Duo let out a steely laugh. "Right...like how you forgot to answer your fucking phone? Or better yet, how you forgot to fucking call to tell me you weren't coming out tonight! You fucking son of a...you act like you're so high and mighty. You're so fucking perfect, aren't you! Like you can't do anything wrong. Everything you do and say is spot on, and everyone else just needs to follow your lead. But the fact of the matter is compared to me, you're the most fucked up. You're a fucking liar and a goddamn hypocrite. You expect me to fit into this mold of a person you want me to be, but the very fucking second I try to do the same to you, no matter how small the request, you fucking ignore it. Hell, if you died tomorrow I'm sure that'd be the happiest day of my life. At least then I wouldn't have to live up to your fucking stupid expectations!"

"Duo enough!" Solo yelled; but it was too late.

Heero entered his room and slammed the door; he had heard enough of Duo's venomous comments. Duo stared at the door for a little while before he stumbled his way to his room. Solo followed close behind, making sure Duo didn't trip and fall. Once inside, Duo quickly went to best and collapsed on top of the bed, pulling his knees up to his chest. Solo sat down next to him, softly stroking his hair.

"Duo..." Solo started cautiously. "You went too far..."

Duo scoffed. "I don't care. It needed to be said." He glanced as Solo. "And if he doesn't like, he can go fuck himself."

"You don't mean that."

"Yes I do."

"No, Duo, you don't. This isn't you talking." Solo let out a sigh. "You'll know you'll regret what just happened after you come down from your high."

"Yeah..." Duo smirked. "If I remember..."

"...true..."

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Duo awoke with a big ass headache and stomach pains - the tell-tale signs of a hangover. Groaning miserably, he slowly got out of bed and went straight the bathroom to relieve his clearly over-filled bladder. As he walked across the hall to the bathroom he glanced at Heero's door, which was still closed. 'Hmm...guess he's still sleeping.'<p>

After relieving himself and washing up a bit, Duo made his way down the stairs. Solo was in the living room, flipping through channels. Duo plopped down next to him, resting his head on Solo's shoulder.

"Good morning," Duo said.

Solo glanced at him. "It's 3:45 in the afternoon."

"Oh...good afternoon."

Solo laughed, "You too." He handed him a water bottle. "Gotta get your fluids back."

"Right..." Duo reluctantly accepted the bottle and chugged it. Halfway done, he stopped drinking and placed the bottle down on the floor. "Hey...what happened last night?"

"You don't remember?" Solo said, looking at him.

"Not really. I mean I remember a few things, but nothing out of the ordinary, really."

"Huh..." Solo thought for a minute, then shrugged. "I dunno."

"You don't remember?"

"Not everything..." He smiled a little. "I remember making out."

"What?" Duo cheeks got a little rosy. "We made out...seriously?"

"Yep."

"Wow..." As he was about to say something else, Duo heard footsteps quickly descending the stairs. He looked to see Heero get to the first floor. "Hey Heero, good morn-I mean, good afternoon," Duo said, a small smile on his face. Heero didn't acknowledge him at all. Without skipping a beat, he grabbed his keys and left, slamming the front door behind him; Duo and Solo jumped a little at that. "What the hell?"

"You got me..." Solo replied, not willing to repeat what happened just a few hours before. He knew it would upset Duo and he wanted him to at least have a good few hours to an already fucked up day.

To be continued.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as usual reviews and comments are welcome. I've noticed that although I don't have a lot of reviews, a TON of people are visiting this story. So I guess must be doing something right lol. Will upload Ch 5 soon. Til then!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>Saturday seemed to pass by quickly, and as twilight started to settle in, Duo could feel this body long for sleep, still recuperating from the previous night's...and apparently early morning's events. He still didn't quite grasp what all transpired, but bits and pieces were slowly returning to him; he just needed to take some time to piece them together. So while Solo was in the bathroom, Duo sat crosslegged on his bed, trying to bring forth the memories of the night before. It was important to him...not because it annoyed him that there were tiny holes in his memory, but also so he could figure out why the hell Heero was so pissed at him. In actuality, he didn't know for sure, but judging from how Heero left earlier, it was obvious something got under his skin, and Duo was 99% sure that he was behind it.<p>

Taking in a deep breath, Duo closed his eyes and replayed last night's events in his head. Slowly, bits of scenes flashed before him. He remembered dancing at the club, mostly with Solo, but other people too, including Cross. He remembered drinking...a lot. He could recall taking something...a small white capsule Cross gave him. It wasn't unfamiliar; he knew exactly what it was. And even though his brain was screaming at him to stop, he popped the pill in his mouth like it was second nature. 'Great...I was totally rolling last night...no wonder I can barely remember any of this...' Duo thought as he mentally kicked himself. Maybe that was why Heero was mad him. Duo was usually good at not allowing Heero to see him while he was high; but he was probably so out of it last night that he didn't notice that Heero was around.

Duo touched the left side of his face. He had rubbed some ointment over the area earlier to bring down the swelling a bit, but a dull pain still resonated. According to Solo, Duo tripped and fell. He accepted that answer for a while, but now as he was rubbing the spot, he wondered why the pain was so centralized. It seemed more plausible that he got hit rather than falling out of the blue. Then an image flashed before him...something pleasant...a kiss. Solo did say that he and Duo made out, and he remembered that perfectly. But this one was different. It wasn't urgent...it wasn't filled with a devouring desire or lust. It was...simple...sweet...and would've been fulfilling if it wasn't quickly replaced by a sharp pain coursing through him. Then he realized and he eyes shot open. "Oh shit..."

"What?" Solo asked as he closed the door to Duo's bedroom. Duo looked up at Solo's nearly naked figure. Droplets of water still glistened on his skin, and the towel loosely wrapped around his waist didn't leave much to the imagination. He was vigorously drying his hair with another towel as he walked over and casually sat on the edge of the bed. Duo had plenty of ideas of what he wanted and could do in this type of situation. It wasn't every day he had an opportunity like this...but rather than giving into his basic carnal urges, Duo clasped his hands together and remained perfectly still. He needed to focus; this was important.

"Nothing...I was just trying to remember."

"Still?" Solo proceeded to dry his arms. "I thought you were over it."

Duo shook his head. "Not exactly...it's just..." He exhaled softly. "I think I kissed Heero..."

"You did."

"What!" Duo grabbed a pillow and smacked Solo over the head with it. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"What difference would it have made? And ow..." Solo rubbed the spot where the pillow made contact.

"It makes a shitload of difference! Rather than sitting here trying to figure out what pissed him off this time, I would've known earlier and...and..."

"And what?" Solo set the towel on the bed and crossed his arms. "You haven't spoken to him all day, and he's not even here right now. So how would knowing sooner change anything?"

Duo looked down. "I would've at least been able to apologize before he left..."

"I doubt that. He didn't even acknowledge you while he was leaving. I'm pretty sure if you did apologize then, it would've fallen on deaf ears. Saying 'I'm sorry' just for the kiss probably isn't gonna cut it anyway. Besides," Solo pushed his bangs back. "Shouldn't he apologize too...for last night?"

"Yeah...right..." Duo hadn't forgotten how upset he was with Heero for ditching them and not bothering to return any of Duo's calls. But it wasn't important to him anymore. Continuing to be mad at Heero wasn't going to fix things. Sighing, he picked up the towel and rubbed it across Solo's back. "You missed a spot."

"Oh...thanks."

A small smile crept on Duo's face as he continued. He really didn't know what possessed him to do this, maybe it was just the little drops of water slowly trailing down that started to annoy him. Or, more than likely, he wanted an excuse to touch Solo. The lingering feelings that manifested while Solo was in his presence were intolerable, but definitely not foreign. He knew where they were stemming from, but he didn't want to cross that line with him. He was a very close friend, someone he considered a brother for the longest. To have this type of desire for him was unacceptable...so why was he so willing now to let all of his inhibitions go and just do it? Just cross that line, tear down the pathetic excuse for walls he had put up, and just...

"You know...if you keep rubbing you might take my skin off," Solo said quietly, breaking Duo from his trance.

Duo blinked a few times. "Oh...sorry." He tossed the towel aside and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "Didn't mean to hurt you."

"You weren't..." Solo turned his head, which put their faces dangerously close to each other. "I just figured you could stop."

"Uh huh..." Every part of Duo's body screamed, wanting him to do what was only expected to happen next. And as much as he was more than ready to close the tiny gap between them, some part of his subconscious wouldn't let him. He let his hands slip from Solo's shoulder and started to back away. But before he could get to a safe distance, Solo grabbed his hand, keeping him in place. Duo slowly shook his head. "Don't..."

"Don't...what?" Solo turned to face Duo completely. "You didn't have a problem with this last night..."

"That's because I was drunk...and tripping off x." Duo offered no resistance as Solo pushed him down onto the bed.

"So...you're saying you can only do this sort of thing when you're drunk or high?"

"No...I'm saying that I can't do this with you when I'm...not clearly out of my mind."

"Hmm..." Solo smiled as his hand slowly trailed down Duo's side, making him shudder a little. "Why's that?"

"Because..." Duo let out a sigh as Solo planted small kisses along his neck and jawline, "for the longest time, I thought of you as a brother so...this is just..."

"Weird right?"

"Heheh, yeah..."

"And now?" Solo lifted head to look squarely into Duo's violet orbs. "Tell me you don't want me right now."

Duo blinked. "What?"

Solo chuckled. "I said...tell me you don't want me right now. If you say no, I'll stop, and we can forget this whole conversation..."

A rush of pure longing engulfed Duo's mind completely clouding his better judgment, and shutting out the tiny voice in brain telling him this was a really bad idea. However, a single thread was left preventing him from giving in, and the only way to keep it intact was to give the correct answer to Solo's question. It was so easy to do. A two letter word would cease all of this: his labored breathing, the undeniable sweet burning sensation coursing through every inch of his body. But saying it would break the one and only rule he lived by.

Duo pressed his palm against Solo's chest, as if to push him away. Instead, however, he smiled gently, and spoke. "Come on, Solo. You should know by now that I'm a shitty li-" Before he could finish, his mouth was covered by Solo's in a fierce kiss. Solo quickly settled between his legs and pressed against his hips against him. This action elicited a lust-filled moan from Duo, and the final thread keeping him from making a big mistake snapped. The towel around Solo's waist was quickly thrown to the ground, and eventually Duo's clothes were discarded. Time stopped and his mind went completely blank. Nothing mattered to Duo now except his sensual desires, which were crying out for much needed attention. And that moment, Duo had no problem with complying.

* * *

><p>Heero really didn't set out to accomplish anything when he walked out of the house earlier. He just needed to get away and think for awhile. Last night ended badly, thanks to Duo, and when he heard his roommate exit his room, Heero quickly came up with an idea to just leave. He had no desire to speak to Duo or even look at him. The sound of his voice wasn't even tolerable at the moment. The words he spoke in the early morning hours stung Heero to his core, although he didn't show it. It didn't matter if Duo wasn't in the right frame of mind...it still spilled out of his mouth as natural as he said "good afternoon" to him earlier. Heero wasn't in the mood to hear Duo's excuses...if he even had one.<p>

That was what worried Heero the most. What if Duo didn't mention anything to him about it...or didn't express regret for his words. It wasn't everyday that someone close to Heero would say that they'd be glad if he died. Could Duo not acknowledging his mistake mean that he meant every word? Did he even consider it a mistake? Heero shook his head at the thought. Of course Duo didn't mean it. He was known for doing stupid things while he was drunk or high or whatever. It was like he was a completely different person. Nothing he says or does during his "out-of-body" experiences should be taken personally. Heero was fully aware of it. But he spoke those words to him directly...without a single breath of hesitation. And they instantly coursed through Heero like venom, burning straight to his heart.

Night had fully descended by the time Heero returned home. He noticed that it was pretty quiet throughout the house, and the lights were out, save for the one in the kitchen. He walked over, thinking that maybe Duo was in there...hopefully alone. If that were the case, then Heero would attempt to bring up the incident in the hopes that it could be resolved. But as he went in, he saw that it was empty. There was a half-empty glass of juice on the counter, and a couple plates rested on the table. Letting out a sigh, he picked up all the dirty dishes and placed them in the sink. He then proceeded to rinse them off; it was a habit he had. He was always bothered by leaving dishes in the sink overnight. He considered it unsanitary. Once done, he grabbed a dish towel and dried off his hands before wiping the sink down as well as the countertop. Then, after folding the towel and placing it on the counter, he made his way up the stairs.

It was too early for Duo to be sleeping, so Heero figured that he was just in his room, killing time. Duo was known for doing that, especially when he was bored out of his mind. Heero knew that Solo would be in there as well (since the guy seemed to follow him around like a helpless puppy), but he didn't care. He would just simply ask Duo to leave his room so they could talk in private. Duo wouldn't refuse...he never did before anyway. Besides, this was important, and they needed to talk quickly rather than let this fester into something worse. Heero hated having these thoughts about Duo, and he wanted them cleared up now.

Heero made it up to the second floor and headed straight for Duo's room. The door was closed and it didn't appear that any lights were on, but that was ok. Duo had a tendency to sit in the dark for extended periods of time...for whatever reason. Heero was prepared to knock, but just as his knuckles were about to touch the door, he was frozen by a loud moan emanating from the room...following by another, and other noises that made it clear to Heero that he really shouldn't open the door. Heero's hand went limp as he stood there, listening to the sounds of someone completely enraptured by...something really good apparently. Although words were not being spoken, he could tell that the one he was hearing more prominently was Duo...so he could only conclude that the other person was...

A wave of nausea swept over Heero as he stepped back until he hit the wall across from Duo's room, disbelieving what his mind already knew was fact. It wasn't like he didn't have his suspicions...or even guessed that this sort of thing would happen eventually...but he had wished that he wouldn't be here when it occurred. His thoughts raced, as the sounds seemed to get louder and louder. Heero never had a good imagination, but it was decent enough to show him various images of what could be happening within those four walls. Then suddenly, he snapped back to reality and went to straight to his room, and closed the door, somehow resisting the urge to slam it.

Although his mind was still useless, he managed to crawl into bed and shut his eyes tightly, wanting to forget everything that he heard. But even if he forgot, the faint noises filtering through the walls made it difficult. He pressed his hands against his ears, attempting to block the erotic sounds from further tormenting him. Within moments, hot tears burned behind his eyelids, a few managing to seep out and trail down to land on his pillow, leaving salty tracks in their wake. Angrily, he wiped his tears away, then grabbed a pillow next to him and placed it over his head. He pressed down on the pillow, desperately trying to drown out the noise, and thus clear his mind of all of the thoughts that made his chest burn painfully. Slowly it was starting to work. Heero's thoughts started to slow down, and his breathing became calmer. Somehow he managed to tune out the sounds as if he would sounds of traffic or Duo's constant chatter. Things seemed to return to normal...until he heard Duo scream Solo's name in completion. Heero utterly lost it...and his mind went blank.

* * *

><p>The phone sitting the nightstand started chirping loudly, breaking Duo out of his peaceful sleep. He was totally satiated, and the only thing he wanted to do was continue wallowing in the feeling of it all...not reach over and answer his phone. But the more it rang, the more difficult it got to return to his serene state of mind. Growling softly he grabbed the phone and flipped it open. "What?" he said angrily.<p>

"_Well...good morning to you too..."_ replied a soft-spoken voice.

Duo blinked awake. "Quatre?" He groaned a little. "Shit, sorry. Good morning."

Quatre laughed. _"Good morning, Duo. I'm guessing you slept well?"_

"You have no idea." Duo sat up a little. "So what's up?"

"_Well...I was thinking that maybe you and Heero could come over today, with Solo of course."_

"Yeah, sure. What time?"

"_How about 5? Wufei and I should be done with our work and dinner'll be ready by then."_

Duo yawned as he replied. "Sounds good to me."

"_Great! I'll see you guys then, ok?"_

"Yep, later Q-tie."

Quatre laughed, _"Bye Duo."_

After he hung up, Duo placed the phone back on the nightstand. He then looked down at the sleeping figure next to him. Solo's peaceful expression on his face made Duo smile inwardly. Last night's events were not planned...but he couldn't think of any reason to regret them. Both were very willing participants and in the end, it was a lot of fun. But now Duo felt the much needed urge to shower. So after planting a small kiss on Solo's forehead, he slipped out of the bed and put on a baggy shirt before exiting the room. He was going to take the shirt off the very second he entered the bathroom; but he didn't want to run the risk of Heero seeing him stark naked...not that Heero hadn't seen him naked before. Still those moments were embarrassing for the both of them...he didn't want to add another one to that repertoire.

As soon as he got into the bathroom, Duo turned on the water. After adjusting the temperature to what he wanted, he flipped the switch for the shower before taking a quick look at himself in the mirror. He swept his eyes over his reflection, noticing that everything about his appearance screamed sex. His hair was still somewhat braided, but much of it was loose. His lips were swollen and little bruised...and...

"Dammit!" Duo glared at the red mark on his neck just above the joint of his collarbone. He would need to tell Solo that next time he wanted to leave a hickey on his body, at least put it somewhere where it could easily be hidden. Letting out an annoyed sigh, he took off his shirt and unraveled his hair before stepping into the steamy shower awaiting him. He let the shot sprays of water soak through his hair thoroughly before proceeding to wash himself off. He wanted to make sure that any remnants of last night escapades were gone before he presented himself to Heero. The last thing he needed was his Japanese friend scolding him about the negatives of casual sex...although Duo didn't really consider this time casual. Solo wasn't some random guy...and he wasn't someone he didn't care about. But Duo didn't consider it lovemaking either. To be that, he would've had to love Solo and...well...he didn't know if that feeling was there.

Thirty minutes passed by the time Duo turned off the water and stepped out. He grabbed a towel from the linen closet and dried himself off as much as possible. After wrapping that towel around his waist, he grabbed another one before leaving the bathroom. He towel-dried his hair as he made his way to his room, subconsciously glancing in the direction of Heero's room. Once inside, he took some clothes out of the dresser and proceeded to get dressed. He watched as Solo continued to sleep. He had changed his position from earlier.

'Well, I guess I wore him out enough,' Duo chuckled to himself as he combed through his damp hair a little before braiding it. Once done, he decided to leave Solo sleep and went downstairs, a low grumbling from his stomach reminding him that it was time for breakfast. A sense of contentment washed over him as he made his way to the kitchen, only to be replaced by ambiguity as he came face to face with Heero, who sat at the table with a cup of coffee sitting in front of him.

"Hey..." Duo said cautiously, not moving an inch.

Heero slowly glanced at Duo. "Hi..."

An awkward silence surrounded them, and rather than dwelling on it, Duo went to the fridge. As he rummaged through, he stole glances at Heero, who clearly wasn't paying him any mind. His gaze was too fixated on the cup in front of him...or at least that's the direction his eyes were pointed to. After pulling out the milk, he set it on the counter and retrieved a glass from the cupboard. He was unprepared for when Heero spoke up.

"How was your night...?" he asked, momentarily looking at Duo again.

"Umm...it was fine..." Duo responded, instantly placing a hand over the hickey on his neck. More than likely Heero already noticed, but he really hoped that he wouldn't ask a question about it directly. "So...I didn't see you at all yesterday..."

"I went out..."

"Oh..." Duo poured himself a glass of milk before taking a seat across from Heero. More awkward silence ensued as he took tiny sips of his milk, while Heero softly drummed his fingers against the side of his coffee cup. Duo knew what he wanted to say. Now was his chance...so why was he hesitating?

"So..." Duo jumped a little when Heero spoke again. His voice sounded a little icy than normal. "Do you have plans today?"

Duo blinked a few times before responding. "Uh yeah...actually, Quatre called earlier. He wants us to be at his house at around 5."

"Ok..."

Duo gnawed on his bottom lip. It was now or never. "Hey, Heero...? About the other night...um..."

Heero looked up at Duo's nervous expression. "...what?"

Duo gulped. "I just...I wanted to apologize." He slumped in his chair. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I was totally out of line, and I'm sorry. I really am. I know how you are about your personal space and doing things without your permission. I don't know what made me think it was ok to kiss you, and your reaction was completely justified." Duo looked Heero in the eyes. "I am truly sorry about making you feel uncomfortable, and I really hope you can forgive me."

Heero stared at Duo for a while, eyes slightly widened. He watched Duo's facial expressions carefully, waiting to see if any other words would pour out of his mouth. 'A kiss...he was sorry about a kiss...that's it?' Heero sat there for what seemed like an eternity, hoping that Duo would get the hint...but nothing. He sighed softy, his eyes downcast. "It's fine."

"Really?" Duo asked, sitting up with a little confidence. "So...you're not mad at me?" When Heero slowly shook his head, Duo let out a much needed sigh of relief. "Oh thank God! I was worried that you'd kick my ass the first chance you got. Wow, what a load off!" Duo brushed his bangs back before resting his forehead on the table.

"What's a load off?" Solo asked as he entered, clearly refreshed after taking a shower of his own.

Duo looked up at Solo as he shook his head. "Nothing, just small talk."

"Oh?" Solo bent over and planted a kiss on Duo's temple. "What's for breakfast?"

"Uh I dunno. How about-" Duo's attention quickly shifted to Heero getting up and bolting out of the kitchen. Without thinking, Duo went after him and followed him just to the foot of the stairs. "Hey, Heero, are you ok?" he asked, as he watched his friend quickly ascend the steps.

"I'm fine," Heero said mildly before disappearing around the corner. He walked briskly down the hall to his room. After a feeble attempt to calmly close the door behind him which still ending in him slamming it, he leaned against the door and slowly let himself slump down to the floor. He couldn't stay in the kitchen...not anymore. Not without running the risk of Duo seeing tears trail down his face.

Heero never thought that Duo would have this kind of affect on him. This never happened before. This wasn't something that he knew how to handle. He didn't understand why his head hurt, or why his chest hurt, or why his heart was beating so fast, or why he was choking for air as soft sobbing sounds escaped his lips. This wasn't him...this wasn't what he was supposed to be like. It hurt...and he was starting to hate Duo for it.

To be continued.

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><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, sorry it took longer than usual to get this chapter out. I blame it mostly on work, but it was also because I was having a little difficulty writing it lol. Anyway, reviews and comments are welcoming and much appreciated it. Ch 6 will be coming soon!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

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><p>Quatre eyed the clock intently, watching the second hand as it made its path around. It was only 5:10pm, but he was anxious. It had been a while since everyone gathered at his house; he wanted everything to be perfect, and for everyone to have a good time. Trowa and Wufei were already there, waiting with him in the living area. In the kitchen, his cook was putting the finishing touches on dinner. The maid had just completed cleaning up every inch of the house and was in the process of setting the table. All that was left was for Duo and Heero to show up, then they could get down to hanging out...and to initiate Solo into the group. Quatre smiled at the thought. It would be nice to have an even number of people in the group rather than odd.<p>

Zechs almost became number 6...key word almost. The idea was there, and they spoke amongst themselves about it. It seemed everyone was in agreement (including Duo, who didn't like him much); but that all went to shit during one of Quatre's parties. Little did they know that Zechs was in love with Heero, and after bottling his feelings inside for long, they broke free...which resulted in him kissing Heero, and receiving a broken cheekbone in response. Heero's hand was broken in the process as well, so both were rushed to the hospital. Duo was furious when he discovered how it all came about; if Wufei and Trowa didn't hold him back, Duo would've slaughtered Zechs. Quatre had never seen Duo exhibit so much anger and ferocity...and to this day he hadn't seen it since. But that incident made it clear that it was probably not a good idea to have Zechs hang out with them...especially with Duo around.

Quatre never really had a problem with Zechs. He didn't consider him a friend, but he was trustworthy. Duo and Zechs vehemently despise each other, which is all too apparent in meetings and when they were all out in public; they would say anything to just jab at each other. However, what baffled Quatre the most was Heero's interactions with Zechs. Heero was severely pissed at him for kissing him, not speaking to him for weeks. But when Zechs finally got the nerve to approach Heero rather than wait, Quatre began to notice some semblance of a friendship forming between them. Zechs's feelings for Heero were obvious, but he kept them in check, waiting for when Heero gave him the ok the express them. As far as Quatre knew, that hadn't happened yet. And he had a little inclination that Duo was the reason. Not because Duo would probably explode if Heero agreed to be exclusive with Zechs; Quatre suspected it was because Heero was waiting for Duo to stop being such an idiot and ask him out.

Wufei, Trowa, and Quatre were very much aware of the unresolved feelings permeating between them. Duo never tried to hide his feelings; he made it painfully obvious that he wanted more than just a friendship with Heero, with the subtle touches and less than subtle kisses and hugs, his eyes clearly showing the affection that was there And Quatre was sure Heero knew it...he just wouldn't take that next step. He wanted Duo to do it...to be honest with him and stop playing games. Quatre was sure it would happen eventually...hopefully sooner than later.

When the clock struck 5:15pm, Quatre got up and started pacing. "They're late."

Trowa watched his blonde lover, a little amused. "You told them around 5, not 5 exactly."

"I know...but around 5 doesn't mean 15 minutes late."

"It might to them..."

"Oh whatever, Trowa. You're not helping."

At that moment, the maid came in. "Sir, the table's set and dinner is served."

"Thank you, Melanie," Quatre smiled and gave her a nod, excusing her from the room. After she left, he let out an exasperated sigh. "By the time they get here, dinner will be cold."

Wufei stood up. "Well I'm not about to wait for them."

"No!" Quatre exclaimed, making Wufei stop in his tracks. "I don't wanna eat until they get here, it's rude."

Wufei raised a brow, not the least bit caring of how rude he is. "I'm not gonna starve just because they don't know how to be punctual."

"Still...I just-" Before Quatre could finish his statement, the sound of the doorbell resonated throughout the house. "Yes!" Face beaming, Quatre quickly exited the living area and went straight to the door. Out of habit, he gussied up in front of the mirror hanging against the wall. The last thing he needed was something in his teeth or hair that Duo would make fun of him about for days. When the doorbell rang again, Quatre checked himself one more time, then answered the door, pleasantly greeted by Duo's warm smile. "About time you guys show up!" Quatre exclaiming, hugging his best friend.

"Sorry about that. We didn't leave on time," Duo responded, hugging back.

"Well, you're here now. That's all that matters." Quatre released Duo then hugged Solo. "Welcome!"

Solo smiled and reciprocated the kind gesture. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Of course. Now come on in before Wufei gets even more agitated."

"What? Is he already annoyed?" Duo asked as he took Solo's hand and led him into the house and walked toward the living area.

"No just very hungry," Quatre looked back outside and blinked. "Uh, Duo?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Heero?"

Duo froze in his tracks. After a few seconds he whirled around with a smile plastered on his face. "He decided not to come; said he was sick."

"Oh..." Quatre softly closed the door, staring intently at Duo and the obvious fake smile he presented. He knew that Duo was hiding something, but rather than corner him about it, he smiled back. "Well, I guess that's too bad. Maybe next time."

Duo gave Quatre a curt nod then continued on his way to the living area, dragging Solo along. In moments Quatre could hear Trowa's voice and Wufei's, followed by Duo's laughter, and what he could only assume Solo introducing himself. Quatre took a few steps toward the conversation, knowing that Trowa would get a little suspicious if he didn't show up soon...but he couldn't just yet. Rather than joining his comrades, Quatre proceeded further down the hall to his study. Once inside, he softly closed the door, then grabbed his phone. Numerous thoughts ran through his head as he dialed the only number flashing in his brain. Sick or not, it wasn't like Heero to not show up. He went to work sick as a dog before...and Quatre could recall occasions where Heero, although obviously under the weather, still managed to make it to Quatre's events. Heero had to be on the brink of death to just not show up.

The phone rang for several seconds before going to voicemail. Rather than leaving a message, Quatre hung up and dialed the number again. This time it only rang once before the other line picked up.

"Hello...?" Heero answered in a very groggy voice. Maybe Duo wasn't lying...

"Hey, Heero. It's Quatre."

"Oh...hi."

"Hi." Quatre paused for a little bit before continuing. "Duo said that you were sick. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah...sorry I...woke up with a headache..." There a long silence, signaling that Heero wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Umm...ok, well...do you need anything? I can have Duo bring some stuff-"

"I'm fine."

Quatre was a little taken aback by Heero's direct answer. Sighing, he nodded. "Ok...well...get better soon, alright?"

"Right...bye." Quatre heard a click on the other line before he could say good-bye back to Heero. He stared at the phone for a while before setting it down gently. He could tell by the sound in Heero's voice that he was definitely not fine. Something happened, and Heero was trying to deal with it on his own...unsuccessfully. Duo would know what was up...they were that close after all.

When Quatre returned to the living area, Duo and Solo were sitting on the couch across from Wufei and Trowa. They all seemed to be getting along rather well. Wufei wasn't smiling, but he seemed content with how the conversation was going. Quatre cleared his throat, getting their attention.

"Everybody hungry?" he asked, pointing in the direction of the dining room.

"Starving," Wufei said as he got up and exited first.

Duo got up too and stretched a little. "Hell yeah, I haven't eaten all day." He and Solo followed Wufei toward the food, leaving Trowa and Quatre to stare at each other.

Trowa knew when Quatre was troubled; it was kind of a sixth sense he had. He walked over and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. "You seem disturbed."

"It's nothing really...just..." Quatre looked in the direction of the dining room. "I spoke to Heero a little bit...he seemed upset."

"Oh?" Trowa blinked. "Well Duo said that he wasn't feeling well..."

"That's not it...it's something else..."

Trowa eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Quatre took a quick glance at him before shaking his head. "I don't know, he didn't tell me. But..." he smiled a little. "It's probably nothing serious." He took Trowa's hand. "Come on, before the food gets cold."

Trowa nodded and followed Quatre into the dining, where it was obvious that their friends didn't wait for them to arrive before chowing down.

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><p>By the time Heero woke up, it was 8:15pm. He slowly sat up, pressing his hand against his forehead. The headache he got from crying earlier was still lingering around, but it wasn't as strong as before. Letting out a sigh, he grabbed the Tylenol bottle on his nightstand and took two pills. It would take a while, but he figured the headache would disappear a lot quicker than if he had just taken nothing and suffered. The sky outside was mixture of purple, blue, and orange hues, a clear indication that night was almost settling in...and he still hadn't eaten yet. But then again, he wasn't hungry.<p>

Food was the last thing on Heero's mind. His thoughts were filled with images of Duo: how he looked that morning; how he looked before he left with Solo; how he looked when he kissed him; how he looked when he yelled at him; and how he might of looked during his fucking session with Solo. It was nerve-racking and practically paralyzed Heero's more rational mind. He was ashamed that he let this bother him so much that he couldn't even think straight. And although part of him regretted not going to Quatre's house today, he was mostly glad that he didn't go. He couldn't let him or any of their friends see him this way...and, more importantly, he didn't want to be around Duo or Solo. Heero brushed his bangs back as he recalled the events that occurred earlier, before Duo left.

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><p>After bolting out of the kitchen that morning, Heero remained in his room for the rest of the day, only leaving to go to the bathroom. He didn't return to the first floor of his house because he knew that he would run into Duo andor Solo. His stomach groaned at him all morning, but he didn't act on it. There was no way he was leaving his room with Duo and Solo running around.

Every once in a while he heard one or both come up the stairs, go into Duo's room or the bathroom, then walk back down the stairs. Then at around 4:00, Heero heard a knock on his door. He didn't respond, knowing that it was Duo, and hoped that he would get the hint to leave him alone. But Duo didn't, and knocked again.

"Hey, Heero? You still alive in there?" Still no response came out of Heero's mouth. He remained in the same position, curled up in bed with his back to the door, his covers and comforter pulled all the way up to his face, only exposing his eyes. He remained perfectly still. In a few seconds, he would hear Duo's retreating steps as he went back down the stairs; all Heero needed to do was wait. But that didn't happen. Instead Heero heard the door open and Duo's voice pierced his ears more clearly as he stepped in.

"Heero?" Duo called to him again. Heero squeezed his eyes shut as he could hear Duo's footsteps move closer and closer to the bed. "Hey...Heero...?" Duo spoke in a hushed tone as he sat down on the bed next to him. "You feeling alright?"

Heero sighed softly before he answered in a quiet voice. "...what is it?" he asked, completely ignoring Duo's question. He didn't want Duo that close to him. Didn't he realize the torment he was causing?

"I haven't seen you most of the day...and you seemed kinda out of it this morning." Duo pressed a hand against Heero's forehead, making him flinch. A little surprised by that, Duo withdrew his hand and rested it on his lap. "Since when do you shy away from me touching you?"

"I just..." Heero felt a lump in throat and he swallowed hard. "Don't you have a party to go to?"

Duo nodded, eyes still fixated on Heero's seemingly tense form. "I was thinking we could leave at around 4:45 or something. Since Quatre doesn't live that far from here, it shouldn't take long-"

"I'm not going."

"What?" Duo eyes widened in disbelief. "But Quatre-"

"I'm not feeling well." Heero said quickly, cutting Duo off. The sooner this talk ended, the sooner Duo would leave. He gripped the sheets tightly, impatiently waiting for the moment when Duo got up.

It didn't happen. Duo remained in the same spot and Heero could feel his eyes fixated on the back of his head. Silence enveloped the entire room. As much as Heero liked peace and quiet...this silence was in no way peaceful; it was painful. Heero's mind raced, trying to think of something to get Duo to just leave.

"Look...if you don't hurry up, you're gonna be late. Tell Quatre I'm sorry, ok?" Heero fidgeted a little bit, anxiously waiting for Duo to agree with his statement...that didn't happen. All Heero succeeded in doing was prolonging their meeting even more. Duo didn't move; instead he asked a question that really hit a little to close to the issue plaguing Heero's mind.

"...I thought you said you weren't mad at me," Duo said softly, clasping his hands together in his lap.

Heero shook his head. "I'm not."

"Ok..." There was a short pause before Duo continued. "Then...what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit." Duo grabbed Heero's shoulder and tried to turn him so they could face each other; however, Heero had no intention of letting that happen and he yanked his shoulder free before scooting a little bit away from him. "What the hell, Heero? I apologized already about what I did."

"And I accepted it, didn't I?"

"Well, yeah...but now I feel like you still have a problem with me."

"I don't..."

"Then why won't you look at me?"

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because I don't."

"Oh my-!" Duo let out deep sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. He was getting very aggravated. "You know, you've been acting really weird lately. I mean...it's like you're avoiding me or something. You don't hang out with me anymore; you don't even talk to me anymore." He shook his head. "It'd be one thing if I knew what I did, then I could understand and try to fix it. But I don't even know that...and you're obviously not helping." He threw his hands up in the air. "I mean God, Heero, ever since Solo's gotten here, you've been acting like a total...wait a minute." Duo eyes widened slightly, realization hitting him like a bag of bricks. "Do you have a problem with Solo being here?"

Heero hesitated a little before answering. "No...I really don't."

'Jackpot.' Duo thought, now even more agitated. "You said it was ok for him to come here."

"I know that..."

"So what the fuck? What, did he say something to piss you off? Or did he doing anything to you?"

"No..."

"Then what's the issue...?"

'I feel like I'm being replaced and you're pushing me away...' The words fluttered through Heero's mind, but he resisted the urge to say them. "Look..." Heero took a quick glance at Duo. "Just drop it, ok? You've got one more week with him, then he's gone. So quit wasting your precious time with me and go be with your boyfriend."

"Wha-" Duo blinked a few times. "Solo's not my boyfriend..."

"Then what is he?" Heero countered, a tinge of anger welling in his voice.

"He's...uh..." Duo averted his eyes, trying to put a word to what he considered Solo to be. Several moments passed, and he still couldn't think of anything. A friend? Well of course, but the word didn't quite fit. But Duo was certain that Solo wasn't his boyfriend. They weren't in a relationship. Duo shook his head. "It doesn't matter what he is, he's just not that."

"But he's more than just a friend, right? You've been spending all your time with him."

"Only because you won't spend time with me."

Heero scoffed. "Yeah...right..."

"It's true!" Duo got up, but still kept his eyes fixated on Heero. "I still want to hang out with you - Solo being here hasn't changed that. But every time I try, you keep pushing me away."

Heero was surprised by that response. "...no I haven't."

"Yes, you have! I asked you to go out to dinner with us, and you said no. I asked you to watch a movie with us, or eat at the table with us, or whatever. Instead, you just retreat to this room of yours or you leave the house all together." Duo crossed his arms. "You can't say that I haven't tried including you in anything. Not to mention when I asked you to come out with us last Friday. Granted going to the club is not your thing - I knew that, but I thought you'd come anyway just so we can all at least hang out a little bit. But instead you blow me off again and when I get home you don't apologize-"

"Shut up!" Heero sat up and turned to face Duo, pure anger registering in his eyes. "Just shut up and get out already - I don't want you in here. Leave!"

Duo stumbled back a bit, completely surprised by the anger Heero was exhibiting. A few moments passed before Duo finally just shook his head and headed toward the door.

"Fine," he said as he opened the door. "Be stubborn for all I fucking care." After Duo slammed the door, Heero listened carefully as he retreated from the door and stomped his way down the steps. Then his third wave of depression him hard and fell back in the bed. His body trembled as more tears welled up and spilled out of his eyes. By the time he drifted back to sleep, Duo and Solo were gone.

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><p>It was around 9:30 when Duo and Solo returned. The dinner was great; everyone seemed to take to Solo very well, including Wufei. Duo was a little worried that Wufei would try his hardest to make Solo feel uncomfortable, but instead he was very cordial. When dinner ended, Quatre ad them all sit outside on the patio. The cool breeze was welcoming to Duo as he sat next to Solo, while Trowa and Quatre sat together, and Wufei opted to stand, leaning against the railing. Although Duo was having a good time, his mind was elsewhere. The fight he had with Heero earlier was bugging him, and he was ready to go home so he could at least try to straighten things out. He just didn't know how. And now that he was home, he still didn't have a clue.<p>

Duo removed his jacket and tossed it onto the armchair as he walked into the living room. As he stretched, he turned to watch Solo who was walking toward him.

"So...did you have fun?" he asked as Solo snaked his arms around him.

Solo nodded, a smile forming on his face. "Yeah, they're really nice..." he gently kissed Duo's forehead. "But I got the feeling that you were a little distracted."

Duo shook his head. "Not really...I was just ready to come home, that's all." He felt Solo's arms tighten around him, pushing their bodies closer together. Duo got the hint of where this was going and although he knew he wouldn't have a problem with it, he was definitely not in the mood. Letting out a regretful sigh, he pulled away and patted Solo on the chest. "How about we watch a movie? There might be something really cheesy on."

Solo stared at Duo keenly, trying to discover how his mind worked behind those beautiful violet eyes. After a while, he slowly nodded. "Sure...as long as I can pick the movie. The last one you picked was boring as hell."

"Deal." Duo brushed his lips against Solo's before withdrawing from him and heading up the stairs. "I'll be right back," he said, leaving Solo alone in the middle of the living room. He knew that Heero was probably sleeping, but Duo held onto a small bit of hope that maybe he'd be awake. That way Duo could be begin round 2 of what occurred between them earlier. Although it probably would've been better to wait until the morning, Duo figured that wasn't an option. Knowing Heero, he'd leave for work at the butt crack of dawn, way before the thought of waking up would cross Duo's mind. And Duo wasn't in the mood to wait until Heero returned from work to speak to him. It had to be done now.

Duo softly rapped on the door. When he didn't hear anything, he slowly opened it and poked his head into the dark room. The moonlight delicately shone through the window, giving Duo some light to notice that Heero was in the same position he was in when he entered his room the first time. Duo slipped inside and closed the door behind him; then he slowly walked toward the bed. If Heero was sleeping, the last thing Duo wanted to do was wake him up; that would just exasperate the situation even more, which was what he didn't want at all.

Once he was close enough, he leaned over to see Heero's face. Sure enough, the Japanese boy was fast asleep, breathing softly as his chest slowly rose and fell. Duo sighed in disappointment. Unfortunately for him, the talk would definitely have to wait until tomorrow. As he moved to stand up straight, something caught his eye. From Heero's eye was a single droplet, glistening from the moon's light. Duo's eyes widened when he noticed dried tear trails printed on his cheek and nose. A pang of hurt and guilt coursed through him and he gasped as he took a couple steps back. He had never seen Heero cry before. His hands trembled as he slowly came to realize that fact. Whatever Heero was thinking had to be so painful for him that he cried...and Duo must've caused it. It was more serious than he originally thought, and he knew that it had to be stemming from Friday night...the night he barely remembered. Something happened that night that caused Heero pain, and it was all Duo's fault.

Duo quickly swiped a tear from his cheek, but didn't leave the room. He really wanted to - that was his first reaction. He wanted to forget what he saw, and just go back downstairs to Solo. But his heart wouldn't let him...and deep down he didn't want to leave Heero's side either. Without putting much thought into the idea, Duo took off his shoes, and ever so gently slipped into the bed next to Heero, trying his best not to rouse the other boy. When he was sure that Heero remained unfazed, Duo slipped one arm under Heero's small frame and pulled him close. His other went over Heero and clasped onto his hand that gently rested on the pillow.

Duo brushed his cheek against Heero's and kissed it gently. "I love you, Heero," he whispered softly before resting his head on the pillow to get comfortable. After a few moments of listening to Heero's soft breaths, Duo eyes slid closed as he fell asleep.

To be continued...\

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><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok I'm sorry it took me like a whole week to get this out. This chapter took a little longer to write than normal, and it really didn't go the way I had originally planned. And it doesn't help that I've gotten pretty busy at work. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and reviews are greatly appreciated it. See you next chapter :)<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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><p>This day could not go by any slower, and it didn't help that Heero had a very awkward morning. It wasn't every day that he'd wake up to some random person sleeping next to him in his bed, even if the random person was Duo. He didn't know when Duo happened to sneak his way in, and when his eyes focused on him, that question was the last thing on his mind. His first instinct was to kick him out...but after taking a few seconds to stare at the tranquil features etched on Duo's face, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He opted instead to just slip out quietly, hurriedly get ready for work, and leave before Duo woke up. On his way out, Heero noticed that Solo was passed out on the couch. Maybe they got into a fight? Heero had smirked at the idea, but didn't dwell on it.<p>

Heero's office was quiet, minus the gentle clicking as his hands glided along the keyboard with perfect precision. He promised Noin that he would finish a report for her by lunch, and he only had about a page and half left to go. It was a standard analysis of the latest mission performed by a few Preventer agents. After reviewing what the agents presented, Noin was convinced that something was left out. So she asked Heero to investigate further. Although it wasn't what he earned a paycheck for, he still agreed. If he hadn't, he would've had nothing better to do. The main project that he had to focus on was on hiatus until Sally finished analyzing the metal samples in her lab. She, however, couldn't dot that until Duo returned from vacation. Apparently he was the only one who could do clearly identify the materials and components of the samples. Duo may have acted like a complete moron most of the time, but he was smart...so smart in fact that Heero sometimes wondered if he was more of a genius than him. Of course, these thoughts quickly faded as soon as Duo did something stupid...which was often.

There was a soft rapping on the door which made Heero pause for a split second.

"Yeah?" he called, not taking his eyes off the computer monitor. The door opened and closed softly, followed by light footsteps walking toward Heero's desk. He knew who it was without looking up. "What's up, Quatre?"

"I was just checking to see how you were doing. You sounded like you were on your deathbed yesterday," Quatre said as he sat down in the chair in front.

"It was just a long weekend, that's all. Sorry I missed your party." Heero glanced at him but continued worked. "How was it?"

"It was pretty good actually. I think everyone had a good time, and the food was excellent."

Heero grinned a little. "I figured as much."

"Of course," Quatre said smiling. "Oh and Solo was really a lot of fun to be around. He kinda reminded me of another Duo, except tamer." He laughed softly. "I could easily see how compatible those two are, and judging by the way they were around each other, it seems that they're very close."

Heero stopped typing and stared at the screen in front him, attempting to avoid looking at the blonde sitting in front of him. "Did you want something?"

Quatre could tell in Heero's voice that he had struck a nerve. That wasn't his intention at all. "No, I just...wanted to make sure you were alright..."

Letting out a sigh, Heero leaned back in his chair and finally gave into the urge to look at his blonde friend. "I'm fine, really. You don't need to worry."

Quatre nodded, his smile growing. "That's all I wanted to hear." With that he got up and exited, but not before giving her a small wave. Heero just shook his head, then went back to focus on the report.

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><p>Duo bounded the stairs, fully dressed and ready to go out. It was 11:15am, and if he didn't leave in the next 10 minutes, he would miss his opportunity to talk to Heero...and hopefully have lunch. That was the only plan he could come up with to talk to him. And they needed to talk, now more than ever. Duo didn't want to put it off anymore, and he didn't need anything else to happen before their conflict could be resolved.<p>

As he grabbed his jacket resting on the armchair, he barely noticed Solo sitting on the couch, arms crossed and looking at him cynically.

"Oh hey," Duo said as he put on his jacket.

"What happened to you last night?" Solo asked, sounding pretty annoyed.

"Sorry I...was tired."

"Really? You weren't in your room."

"No, I was in Heero's."

"Why?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Oh I dunno...maybe because you left me down here last night wondering what the hell was taking you so long."

"Again, sorry." Duo tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear as he gazed at Solo. "I just needed to talk to Heero, that's all."

"And that involved you sleeping with him?"

"Wh-what?" Duo's mouth dropped in complete shock. "You're kidding me, right?" When Solo didn't immediately respond, Duo let out a stifled laugh and retreating into the kitchen. "You know, my relationship with Heero doesn't include sex, not that that's any of your business."

Solo sighed exasperatedly as he got up off the couch and followed Duo. "I don't want to know your business with him. I just want to know-"

"You want to know if I fucked Heero last night, my best friend in the entire world." Duo whirled around, obviously pissed. "No, I didn't! I went in there to talk to him - he was sleeping. I didn't want to wake him up, and yeah I was kinda tired too so I decided to sleep in his room. What's the big deal? And better yet, why the fuck am I explaining myself to you? It's not like you're my boyfriend."

"...I'm not?"

Words caught in Duo's throat as he watched Solo's face change from irritation to hurt. Solo slowly sat down at the table, his eyes fixated on the slender boy standing in front of him. Duo attempted to take a step toward him, but stopped. He couldn't take back what he said, and the only thing he could think to do to make things better was tell Solo what he knew he wanted to hear...but that would be a lie.

"Solo..." Duo slowly shook his head as he spoke. "You're important to me...very important. But no...you're not my boyfriend. I mean, we've only spent about a week together...and sure we had sex, which was great and a lot of fun, but...umm..."

"You don't have to try and explain," Solo said, a sad smile on his face. "You're into casual sex. I should've known that an actual relationship was the last thing on your mind...considering..." his voice trailed off, not wanting to finish speaking out the thought in his mind.

Both stood in awkward silence, neither moving nor saying a word, until Duo glanced at the time lit up on the microwave.

"Fuck, I gotta go."

"Where are you going?" Solo asked as he watched Duo exit the kitchen.

"I need to talk to Heero. Be back later, ok?" Shortly after hearing that response, Solo heard the front door open and close. For a second he thought about maybe rescheduling his flight to leave earlier than planned. He just had a feeling that staying another week would prove to be more damaging to whatever relationship he and Duo had.

Solo didn't plan for his feelings to go this far. When he initially planned the trip, the only thing that he wanted to accomplish was to be a part of Duo's life again, and make sure that they kept in contact, no matter what. He had spent so much time and effort searching for him, and now that he found him and was so near him this much, he didn't want to give that up. He didn't want to lose Duo again, and he believed that Duo didn't want that to happen either. The past week was like a complete dream to Solo, with the past Saturday night being the highlight of it all. Never had he imagined that he would get to be with Duo in that way, and when the opportunity presented itself, he didn't let it slip through his fingers. And Duo was so willing. He opened his body, every piece of his being to Solo, and he took it without hesitation. Solo was able to feel Duo in a way that very few people could, and it made him happy. He poured every ounce of feeling into that moment...little did know that Duo did not do the same. How could he? He was saving it for someone else...someone who held the key to his heart and apparently didn't even know it.

Solo was jealous of Heero, he couldn't deny that. He may have had Duo's body, and could probably get it again anytime he wanted, but Heero had Duo's heart. It pained Solo to watch Duo pull away from him and go to Heero. Heero, Heero, Heero...Duo's world revolved around a boy that didn't even seem to reciprocate the same feelings. Solo couldn't figure out what it was about Heero that rewarded him Duo's affections. He was attractive...very attractive. But his personality left much to be desired. Solo saw him as complete asshole. He knew that he shouldn't judge someone after knowing them for a few days, but he couldn't even get to know Heero because he wouldn't let him...and at this point Solo didn't want to. The only reason he continued to tolerate being in Heero's presence was because of Duo...he wanted to be with Duo...be near him, close enough to hear him breathe or catch his scent. And if that meant being near Heero as well, then so be it...for now.

* * *

><p>By the time lunchtime rolled around, Heero had finished the report for Noin, and with one click of his mouse he sent it to her via email. 'Finally,' he thought as he sat back, letting out a relieving sigh...then he heard a small rumbling coming from his stomach. After ignoring it all day yesterday, it was only natural to hear the soft groaning it made. And although he knew he needed to eat something, he was hesitant. That would mean one or two options: going out with the gang and being bombarded with questions about why he wasn't there yesterday; or going to the cafeteria, still running into the gang and being bombarded with questions about why he wasn't there yesterday. He wasn't trying to avoid his friends at all...he just didn't want to deal with the conversation. Then an idea crossed his mind. He hadn't had lunch with Zechs in a while, and he wasn't too bad to hang out with for an hour.<p>

Settled with the plan, Heero picked up the receiver on his desk phone and dialed Zechs's office number. It only took two rings for him to pick up.

"_I was wondering when you'd call."_ Heero could hear the smirk in Zechs in voice.

"Right..." Heero shook his head. "What are you doing for lunch?"

"_I don't know yet. What did you have in mind?"_

"I don't know...I just want to get outta here."

"_Ermin's?"_

"Sound's good."

"_Alright. See ya in the lobby."_

"Ok." As soon as Heero hung up, he locked his computer and got up from his desk. After he put on his jacket, he reached for his cellphone just as it started ringing...Duo's name displayed on the screen. His first thought was to hit the ignore button...but he answered instead.

"What?" he asked rather harshly as walked around his desk the door.

"_You haven't left for lunch, have you?"_Clearly Duo wasn't fazed.

"I'm leaving right now."

"_Great! I just pulled up actually, and-"_

"I'm not going with you."

"_Wha-why not?"  
><em>

"Because I don't want to be around you."

"_I know that, but..." _Heero could hear Duo let out a sigh. _"I'm worried..."_

"About what?"

"_About you and me...I feel like there's something wrong between us and I wanna fix it. But I don't know how except to talk."_

"You're making it sound like we're in a relationship...and we're clearly not."

"_You're right, we're not, but you are important to me and I hate it when you're mad at me so...__I wanna talk to you. I know you can barely stand my rambling sometimes, but I don't know any other way to make things right. I'm pretty sure I fucked up really bad this time so...please? Pretty please? Come on, we can go get...umm...sushi!"_

Heero paused. "Are you trying to be funny...?"

"_No! We haven't had sushi in like forever, and I want some...and I know you want some too."_

"Why because I'm Japanese?" Heero asked sarcastically as in got in the elevator.

"_Of course not, although I'm sure that may have something to do with it...kidding! Kidding!" _Duo laughed a little. _"Please have lunch with me? Please? I'm buying...promise."_

Heero rolled his eyes, watching the numbers continue to decrease as he made his way down to the lobby. "...Fine."

"_Yes! See ya in a bit."_ Duo hung up after that.

When Heero emerged from the elevator, he saw Zechs and Noin waiting. He was glad, at least Zechs wouldn't have to eat lunch alone.

"Ready to go?" Zechs asked as Heero approached them.

"Umm...yeah sorry, I can't. Maybe some other time, ok?"

"Oh..."

Heero didn't wait to hear Zechs's full response before walking out the main doors of the Preventer building. As he made his way down the steps, he quickly spotted Duo's car parked in the front. He didn't hesitate to get in, which kind of bothered him a bit. Duo was last person he wanted to be around today...and he got in the very persons car without a second thought.

Heero glanced at Duo, who smiled at him happily.

"You ready?"

"Yep," Heero responded before Duo drove off.

* * *

><p>The sushi place Heero and Duo normally frequently was about a mile away from work, in the art district of the city. Duo knew the route by heart - the two of them tend to frequent the spot at least once every two weeks...except the last time they were there was over a month ago.<p>

Once inside, they took a seat at a table, ordered, then just sat there staring at each other...until the waitress brought their drinks.

"Thanks," Duo said to her before taking a sip. As she walked away, he sighed, leaning forward to rest his hands on the table. "So..." he eyed Heero carefully. "I want you to tell me something."

"Ok...what?" Heero asked as he lightly tapped the side of his glass.

"What happened Friday night?" As soon as Duo finished, Heero's eyes narrowed at him, sending a slight shiver up Duo's spine. But he continued. "I know whatever it is that's causing this whole issue between us stems from that night. I thought it was because I kissed you...because that's the only thing I remember that would piss you off this much. But clearly it's something else. I've tried to remember, really. I can't...I'm sorry. Maybe I was too wasted to recollect everything that happened that night. Or maybe I knew it was so bad that I erased the memory from my mind so I didn't have keep thinking about it. But clearly it's bothering you, and I hate this. And I feel bad."

"Even though you don't remember...?"

"Especially because I don't remember." Duo sighed. "Heero, whatever it is, I'm sorry. If I said or did something else that upset you even more than the kiss, I-"

"You said you'd be glad if I died..."

Duo eyes widened when Heero spoke those words. The color slowly drained from his face and his eyes widened as he leaned back against his seat. He let his mouth hang open, completely shocked by words that Heero had spoken. "I...I didn't..."

"You didn't want to live up to my expectations anymore and you wished I'd die so you wouldn't have to. You probably said it somewhat differently...I don't remember the exact words but it was something along those lines."

Duo heart sank as Heero's words resounding crystal clear in his ears. He shook his head. "I didn't mean it...I couldn't have...you're too..." He could feel tears well up, and blinked rapidly. "I would never want that...never!"

"So..." Heero eyes softened, watching as a few tears trickle down Duo's face. "Are you saying that you...lied?" he scoffed. "You never lie."

"Well there's a first time for everything because I would never fucking want that. Not now, not ever - no way! Oh God, Heero, I'm so sorry!" Duo let his head hit the table with a dull thud. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." he repeated said through muffled sobs.

Heero sat there watching Duo's shoulder shake as he continued to cry softly. He didn't think that this would happen. It was clear to him that Duo was remorseful about what was said. If he didn't care, he wouldn't be showing this vulnerable side of him to Heero. After sighing softly, he nudged Duo's leg with his foot, trying to get his attention.

"Hey...it's ok...really."

Duo sniffled before lifting his head enough to look at Heero, his eyes bloodshot. "...what?"

"Obviously you're torn up about it...which means that you didn't mean. You told your first lie, I guess so...yeah, it's ok." Heero smirked. "Just don't do it again..."

"I promise..." Duo sat up straight, using his napkin to clean up his face. "I swear it will never happen again...I mean it."

"I know," Heero replied nodding. "Next time, I won't let you off so easily."

Duo laughed a little. "I would be surprised if you did." At that moment, their food arrived, and they spent the rest of Heero's lunch break talking casually and laughing together, something that they hadn't done in a while. It felt good, knowing that things had finally been cleared up.

To be continued.

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><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: Reviews welcome as usual :) see you next chapter!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

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><p>When Duo returned over 2 hours later, Solo could tell that something was different. He was happy...much happier than he'd been in a while. He came in and sat down on the couch next to Solo, a pretty big smile plastered on his face. He didn't say a word as he casually removed his jacket and proceeded to take off his shoes. Solo watched as Duo slipped one shoe off and tossed it across the room, then went to work on the other.<p>

"So, I take it you and Heero had a good lunch?" Solo asked, trying not to sound the least bit jealous.

"Yep, we're ok now." After loosening his shoe a bit, Duo kicked it off in the direction of the other. Then he leaned back and stretched out his legs. "At least I hope we are. I mean," he looked at Solo, "we had a few good laughs. If Heero was still mad at me, he wouldn't have cracked a smile."

"Well, good for you then."

"Thanks."

Silence descended upon the two of them, except for the soft murmur coming from the TV as Solo flipped through the channels. He wanted to press Duo more about what happened that morning. The only problem was that he didn't know what reaction he would get. Solo had come to realize how unpredictable Duo was. He could switch from cold as ice to hot as fire, then completely neutral. It was enough to give someone whiplash. Safe to say, falling for someone like him was a risk on Solo's life...he hoped it was worth it.

"So, what do you want to do tonight?" Duo finally perked up as he leaned into Solo for a side hug. Solo didn't object, instead wrapping an arm around the other boy's shoulders.

He shrugged. "I really don't care. We can just stay here if you want."

"Hmm...don't wanna." Duo rubbed his cheek against Solo's chest, making him tremble a little. "How about we go out?"

"On a Monday?"

"Yeah, why not? We can go to a bar or something, have a few drinks, play pool, darts, whatever." Duo looked up at him. "Sound fun, huh?"

"Sure..." Solo gave Duo's shoulder gentle squeeze. "Whatever floats your boat."

Duo smiled as he brought his feet up on the couch and pressed deeper into Solo's side. Did he not realize what he was doing to Solo? Maybe he did...and he got a kick out of messing with his mind. Solo pursed his lips together as his mind dwelled on that idea. He didn't want to think that Duo was that much of a tease...but he couldn't put it past him either. A soft sigh from his braided fixation made Solo focus his eyes on him. He watched as his eyes slid closed, but shot back open. Then he'd shift and a few seconds later, it'd happen again. A smirk formed on Solo's face.

"If you're so tired, then go to bed."

"Mmm..." Duo nudged Solo gently. "I'm not sleepy. I just had a big lunch."

"Yeah, I'm sure..." Solo hoped Duo didn't hear the tinge of jealously in his voice. Rather than waiting to find out, he spoke again without waiting for a response. "Well, take a nap anyway. If we're going to a bar tonight, you need to rest up."

Duo chuckled. "What if I want to just fall asleep here? This is my house, so I should be able to sleep wherever I want. Besides," he raised his eyes up at Solo, "I'm comfortable."

"Well, I'd rather you not sleep here so..."

"Huh..?" Duo sat up a little. "Why not? You're not upset about this morning, are you?" Solo quickly averted his eyes to the TV. He didn't know what he was, except confused. Confused about his current relationship with Duo; confused about what he wanted from Duo; confused about why Duo couldn't...or rather wouldn't...take that step forward; and confused about Duo's infatuation with Heero...and why he wouldn't acknowledge the fact that he was in love with him. If he could just say it, the maybe Solo would be able to accept that his feelings for Duo would never be reciprocated. But that didn't happen. When Solo asked him the first night, Duo said no, without hesitation. But his actions always spoke the truth. Yet, Solo had a single tinge of hope...something that he clung onto, even though he knew it would be best to push Duo away. This type of infatuation wasn't healthy.

"Hey." Duo snapped his fingers in front of Solo's eyes, catching his attention. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Solo responded blinking. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about earlier?"

"Among other things."

"Solo..." Duo let his forehead rest on his shoulder. "I'm sorry if I...I dunno...led you on or something."

"It's ok."

"No it's not..." Duo sighed. "Geez, I make peace with one, then screw up another..."

"Can't please everyone."

"Obviously...such a neverending cycle..."

"It'll end soon...I'm leaving on Saturday, remember?"

Duo groaned at that statement. "Don't remind me...I'm trying not to think about that."

"Oh?" Solo turned his head. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to leave, that's why. I like having you here...it's fun and refreshing. When you leave, things'll go back to the way it was..."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"No...but..." Duo looked up at Solo. "It won't be the same without you...I'm going to miss you...a lot."

That made Solo smile, and without warning, he pressed his lips against Duo's. The kiss was gentle at first. All Solo wanted was a simple touch, nothing more. But when he felt Duo grip the front of his shirt, he grew bolder. He slipped his fingers into Duo's soft hair and pushed forward, shifting his body so that he could be over Duo as they fell back onto the couch. Duo didn't protest - instead he parted his lips in invitation, coaxing Solo into deepening the kiss. He moaned softly as he felt Solo's tongue gently caress his own. All barriers went down as they fell into the cushions of the couch, mouths battling and hands roaming. After a while Solo broke the kiss and pressed his lips to Duo's cheek, the underside of his jaw, and trailed down the side of his neck before latching onto the spot just before his shoulder.

Duo gasped sharply as he felt teeth bite down. "What are you, a vampire?" he asked.

Solo chuckled. "Not unless you want me to be." He gently licked the area as his hands slid under the simple black shirt Duo was wearing. "Do you have a problem with it?" he asked as his fingers roamed along Duo's chest and sides before sliding down to toy with the rim of his jeans.

Duo's stomach fluttered with excitement as he shook his head. "Not really...unless you leave a mark." He smirked. "Then I'll be pissed."

"I'll try not to then," Solo responded before capturing Duo's mouth again. Duo slipped his arms around the other man's waist, drawing him closer. He was enjoying this, a lot more than he cared to admit. It had been a while since he had been this close to someone, and was able to have these types of moments. Solo came at a good time in his life - he was getting a little too bored and in need of this kind of thrill. Although very happy that Solo was more than willing to oblige, deep down Duo wished that it were someone else. Someone else's mouth covering his, someone else's tongue tasting him, making his mind muddled with lust and desire, someone else's hands tugging at his jeans to pull them off. He wondered...could Heero ever be this willing...?

Duo placed a hand on Solo's chest and pressed hard, pushing up and effectively stopping his hands from going any further. They stared at each other for quite some time, both trying to catch their breath.

"Get up," Duo finally managed to say, giving Solo another push, gently this time. Solo sighed miserably as he complied with Duo's request. He sat up, allowing Duo to pull out from under him and sit up as well. Both remained that way for a little bit, neither speaking. The TV continued to hum in the background, but no one was paying attention to.

Solo shook his head. "I don't understand you," he muttered.

Duo smirked. "I don't think anyone understands me..."

"Not even Heero...?"

Duo shot a questioning look at him. "...why do you ask?"

"I dunno..." Solo shrugged. "I'm curious I guess..."

"Why?"

"Because...he's your best friend, isn't he? And he's important to you...so it'd only make sense that if anyone had insight into how your mind works, he would."

Duo averted his eyes. "Yeah...I guess so..."

Those words sent an unpleasant twinge through Solo's body, but he tried his best not to let it show. He settled back down on the couch, a little relieved that Duo remained on other end, not attempting to move close to him. "You're such a tease, you know that...?" Solo stole a quick glance at Duo before continuing. "Had I fully known that you were like this, then maybe...heh...no...I still probably would've fallen for you...because you're important to me..." Solo let a smile form on his face. "Very important...even if you don't feel that way..."

"Solo..." Duo got up from the couch and stood before him. They stared at each other, both searching for some kind of answer or response in each other's eyes. Even though Duo didn't think he found one, he held out his hand. "Come on..."

Solo blinked. "What?"

"We can't do this here. Heero will be home in a couple hours so...come on."

Solo knew what Duo was implying, and as inviting as it seemed, he knew that he was just given a choice. He could choose to reject Duo's hand and watch him walk away, or take his hand and continue what they had already started. Solo brushed his bangs aside as if he wasn't seeing clearly, and gave himself a moment to put this into perspective. He knew what he should do, but what he wanted was so much stronger. After turning off the tv, Solo readily took Duo's hand, standing up as he did so. A grin formed on Duo's face, and he wasted no time leading them up the stairs and to his bedroom.

* * *

><p>They didn't go anywhere that night. After their vigorous lovemaking activities, both showered, redressed, and returned to the living room to watch tv. Both were content with the way things were going that the thought of leaving the house never crossed their minds. While watching some b-rated movie, both passed out of the couch. Not even Heero returning home roused them. He stood there for a little while, eyeing the two of them cuddled up, with relaxed looks on their faces. Seeing them like that wouldn't have bothered Heero that much, if Solo didn't have Duo's braid in a possessive grip. Heero tightened his jaw while a string of very colorful words coursed through his mind. But then again, why was he getting so mad? Duo's relationship with Solo was on a different level, so of course it was ok for them to look so intimate. He would never try that with Heero...they were just friends.<p>

Letting out a sigh, Heero went to the kitchen to fix something for dinner. He had yet to go to the grocery store, and their food supply was running low. It didn't help having another mouth to feed - Duo alone ate like a horse. If Solo was going to eat as much, he could at least make an effort to contribute. Heero rummaged through the fridge and cupboards and came up with an idea as soon he laid his eyes on an unopened pack of ground beef - spaghetti. It was very simple to make with little effort, and could be done quickly. After setting the package on the counter, Heero retrieved a large pot and skillet from one of the lower cupboards and filled the pot with water. He set both on the stove and turned on the burners. Then he grabbed a bowl and emptied the meat into it. As he rummaged through the pantry for spices and seasoning, he wondered how he got the role of cook. Duo was more than capable of cooking. Ok, some of the things that he concocted were humanly inedible - not even in desperation would Heero eat it. But when he wasn't experimenting and followed directions, Duo actually did a pretty good job. Maybe because Heero enjoyed it that he didn't have a problem cooking for them. It was a nice way to pass by the time, and get his mind off work.

After kneading the spices and seasonings into the meat, he went to wash his hands. As soon as he turned off the faucet, he felt two firm arms wrap around his waist. Heero didn't tense up - he knew who it was way before he came within an arm's reach of him. Duo never could sneak up on him, no matter how hard he tried.

"Was I too loud?" Heero asked as he reached for a towel.

"Nope...you've been as quiet as a mouse. I just wasn't tired anymore." Duo took a quick glance at the stove before resting his chin on Heero's shoulder. "Whatcha making?"

"Spaghetti."

"Mmmm..." A smile crept on Duo's face, "you haven't made that in a while."

"Well it's the only thing I can make with the little stuff we have in here." He gently patted Duo's head. "It's your turn to do the grocery shopping."

Duo groaned. "I was afraid you'd say that..." He pulled away, but not before planting a tiny kiss on Heero's neck. "So you need any help?"

"Not really but..." he motioned to one of the cupboards on the other side. "Grab the spaghetti sauce and pasta. Water's boiling."

"Roger." As Duo proceeded to complete his mini mission, Heero emptied the seasoned meat into the awaiting skillet, heated just to the right temperature. The meat popped and sizzled as he stirred it around and distributed evenly. Duo came to stand beside him and dumped the pasta in the boiling pot, spreading it around. "Smells good," he said as he grabbed a clear bowl from one of the cabinets.

Heero glanced at him. "What are you doing?"

"Making a salad," Duo responded as he took chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, a pack of grated carrots, parmesan cheese, and Italian dressing from the fridge. He set all the ingredients down on the table and cut the tomatoes in half before proceeding to put everything together. "I know I can't screw this up," he said with a laugh.

"Let's hope not," Heero said, smirking. 15 minutes passed by in silence, except for the sound of the meat cooking and Duo mixing the salad together. It was a peaceful setting that didn't happen very often. An outsider could easily assume that they were a happy couple making dinner together. Both were perfectly content with that scenario...it wasn't too far from the truth they wanted.

"All done!" Duo said excitedly as he set the bowl in the middle of the table. "My masterpiece is finished." He then proceeded to set the table, grabbing the plates and silverware.

Heero drained the pasta and put it back into the now empty pot. The meat sauce was already done, sitting under very low heat. "Alright, done."

"Awesome, I'm starving." Duo grabbed two bottles of beer and tossed one to Heero. He wasted no time opening his and taking a quick swig of it. "Hmm, I'd better wake Solo up."

Heero set his bottle on the table, his eyes downcast. "Oh...?"

"Yeah..." Duo looked back at him, watching as Heero avoided meeting his eyes, instead focusing on his finger lightly tapping on the glass bottle. His eyes lit up. "Do you want me to wake him up?"

Heero gazed back at Duo, eyes slightly widened. He didn't speak, not sure of what the best answer should be. Was Duo testing him? He hated tests...especially ones that toyed with his mind. He figured the correct response would be to let Duo get his friend...or whatever he is. But that would mean the end of this setting and the feeling of togetherness that they were sharing. The whole time Solo had been here, Heero had not once did or said anything that would impede on his time with Duo. He could do it once...what would be the harm in that?

A smile tugged at the corners of Heero's mouth as he looked from Duo to the direction of the living room, then back to Duo. He opened the bottle in his hand and brought it to his lips, eyeing Duo the whole time. He slightly shook his head at him before taking a sip. There, his answer was given, and it seemed to be the right one because Duo ran his fingers threw is bangs, a big smile plastered on his face.

"Good call."

* * *

><p>The week zoomed by a lot quicker than the one before, a little too quickly for Duo's taste. Nothing eventful went on. Heero went to work every day, leaving early in the morning and coming home pretty late. That left Solo and Duo to their own devices. Although they didn't go out Monday night, they did meet up with Duo's bartender friend, Cross, Wednesday. They just hung out, had a few laughs, drinks, and some other things that Duo was not in the mood to remember. Then the next morning, Solo went out for a few hours, borrowing Duo's car. Although Duo let him, he didn't know that he would be gone for so long. He briefly thought to ask him, but decided against it. Duo didn't think it was any of his business, and he didn't even give him a specified timeframe to be back.<p>

Now, Friday was here, Solo's last day. It was bound to happen eventually - Solo needed to go back to his life and Duo needed to get back into the normal routine. He wanted Solo's last night to be nice...and both waking up the next morning without hangovers. That meant going out wasn't in the cards. He had another idea...but he was going to need help to pull it off. The first thing he needed to do was call Heero. He grabbed his cellphone and dialed his Japanese friend's work number. After a few rings, the other line picked up.

"_What?"_

Duo laughed. "Hey! What are you doing tonight?"

"_Uh...nothing I guess."_

"Do you think maybe you could...I dunno...do something?"

There was a short pause. _"Why?"_

"Well, this is Solo's last night and I want it to be...I dunno...special I guess."

"_You can't just go out to dinner?"_

"We could, but I don't want to. I think it would better if we stayed here. You know, dinner...movie..."

"_Sex?"_

"W-w-what!" Duo sputtered, almost dropping the phone. "What makes you think-"

"_Duo I'm not stupid. I already you've been screwing each other. I heard you two."_

"What do you mean you heard! When!"

"_It doesn't matter, just know that I know...and it's not like you were quiet about it."_

Duo felt color rise from his neck to his face, completely embarrassed. "...are you being serious?"

"_Yes." _Heero sighed. _"So is that what you want to do tonight? And you don't want me in the way, correct?"_

"Uh...well...I..."

"_Fine," _Heero snapped, frustration clearly apparent in his voice. _"I'll figure something out. Enjoy your evening."_ Then he hung up, not bothering to wait for a response from Duo, whose mind was too busy wrapped up in the fact that Heero heard him having sex with Solo. But when? It couldn't have been Monday; Heero hadn't returned home yet by the time they finished. What about the first time...? Duo didn't know when Heero returned - he had fallen asleep by then. But the next day...Duo went pale.

"Oh hell..." He fell back against the wall, ignoring the tinge of pain as his back made contact. "Way to go, Maxwell. You totally let the love of your life listen to you fuck another guy...brilliant..." He smiled slightly. That was first time he referred to Heero as that...it felt nice to say...even though it wasn't spoken to anyone but the air.

Shaking his head, he put his mind back into focus. He would deal with the seemingly minor issue later. His goal was accomplished: Heero wouldn't be returning home that night, leaving the place all to him and Solo. Next step was to call Quatre. He was going to need help setting up and cooking, and he couldn't think of anyone else who would be more than up to the task...and willing too.

To be continued.

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><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter was LONG overdue. So so sorry! Work has been getting really busy and by the time I get home, I'm tired as hell lol. But I hope you like, and as usual reviewscomments are welcome. Chapter 9 is on the way :)


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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><p>"You seriously need all of this?"<p>

"Yep."

"…Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Even… 'chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream from Robbins?"

"Yep."

"…You don't _seriously_ need that."

Duo rolled his eyes. "Ok ok, fine. But they do have the best ice cream and no other brand will do." He watched as Solo looked over the wonderfully long grocery list he had created.

"I dunno…I mean all this stuff is…oh come on, Duo, 'a new potted plant for my desk because I killed the other one'?" Solo looked at Duo incredulously. "What kind of grocery list is this?"

'The kind that keeps you away for a good long time.' Duo stifled a laugh. "That one's serious though. I really do need a new plant."

"Uh huh," Solo narrowed his eyes. "And how do I know that you're not going to kill this one too?"

Duo shook his head. "You don't. But hey, it's not your money being spent here." He handed over one of his credit cards. "Now I need you to buy exactly what's on this list. Absolutely NO substitutions."

"Hmph…I never pegged you for being so picky."

"Oh I'm not picky…Heero is. Seriously, if you don't get EXACTLY what I've put on there, he's going to have a fit."

"Even the plant?"

"Ok, the plant's obviously mine. But the other stuff has to be exact."

"…Can I take back what I said earlier?"

"No!" Duo crossed his arms. "You agreed to do whatever I wanted today. You can't back out now just because you don't like the task."

"Well I had hoped that it would be something more…enjoyable…"

Duo shrugged. "Sorry to burst your bubble. Anyway, you better get going now. You've got a lot of shopping to do." He tossed his keys to Solo. "Oh and you might wanna fill my car up while you're at it. Don't want you to running out of gas in the middle of traffic."

"Yeah…" Solo turned to walk out the door. "So…I can get all of this stuff in the same shopping center right? I mean Robbins is right there, isn't it?"

"Oh well yeah…but…" Duo walked over and pointed to a list of items grouped in their own area on the sheet of paper. "You'll have to go to this little Asian store for this stuff. Can't get 'em anywhere else. See? I wrote the address here."

"Ok…an Asian store…they speak English right?"

"Well…" Duo clasped his hands behind his back. "If the kid's there, then you'll have no problem finding this stuff. He speaks English fluently."

"And if he's not…?"

Duo patted Solo on the back. "Have fun!" He successfully contained himself as he watched Solo walk out of the house and to his car, the whole time groaning and mumbling a few choice words. Duo stood by the door and waved as Solo pulled out of the driveway and drove off, a huge smile plastered on his face. As soon as his car was out of sight, he pulled his phone of the back pocket of his jeans and dialed. After a couple rings, someone picked up.

"_Is he gone?"_

"Yep – pull on up." Within moments, Quatre pulled into the vacant spot and after setting the car in park, got out with a couple bags in hand. Duo greeted his friend with a big hug. "Thanks for helping me with this."

"Of course," Quatre replied. "Can you get the rest of the bags from the backseat?"

"Sure." Duo did as Quatre asked, then followed him into the house. He struggled a little bit since one of the bags seemed a little heavier than the others, but he still managed to make it to the kitchen without dropping anything. After placing them on the table he proceeded to take the items out of the bags. "So it's cool that you're here and not at work, right? I don't want you to get in trouble with Lady Une."

"Yeah, it's fine," Quatre replied as he rummaged through the cupboards. "Besides I only work as a Preventer part-time. I have my own company to run, you know." He smiled. "Just because I'm here on Earth doesn't mean my obligations to the Colonies have ceased."

"Good point. So when do you go back?"

"I've scheduled a trip for next month."

"Cool…" One by one, Duo removed the items from the bags and placed them on the counter. Most of them were ingredients for whatever Quatre was planning to make Duo cook tonight. The rest seemed a bit odd. Among some of the items were a couple bottles of wine, red candles, candleholders, flowers… "Uh…Quatre?"

"Hmm?" Quatre turned to see Duo holding a bag of rose petals. "Oh yeah, you like them? I figured we could scatter some around the living room and your bedroom of course. Oh and we can also-"

"Wait a minute…" Duo held up his, effectively silencing his blonde friend. "What do you think I'm trying to do here?"

Quatre blinked a few times. "Well…you said that you wanted this night to be special."

"Yeah…but when did special involve rose petals and…" he rummaged through the bag again and pulled out a small pack of beads. "What is this?"

"Oh!" Quatre's eyes lit up. "Those are scented oil beads. You sprinkle some in the bath and it makes your skin really soft and leaves a light sensual scent. I figured you two could-"

"Could what?"

"You know… do stuff that normal couples do."

Duo let an exasperated sigh. "When did I ever say this was a couples thing."

"Well…" Quatre leaned against the counter. "You did say that the two of you would be alone for the night."

"Yeah…so?"

"So what else would it be other than a couples thing?"

"Oh I dunno, how about two friends have a nice night in?"

"Pfft! Yeah right – you don't have a friends night with your boyfriend. It just doesn't happen."

"Wha-he's not my boyfriend!" Duo dropped the two items on the table and threw up his hands. "Why does everybody think that?"

"Because you treat him like one."

Duo gaped. "I do not!"

"Ok…" Quatre shrugged. "Keep telling yourself that." He grabbed an onion out of the fridge and started peeling it on the cutting board. "But ask yourself this," he said, giving Duo a quick glance. "If he's not your boyfriend, then what is he?"

Duo readily opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. He didn't have an answer for that question…simply because he never really thought about it. To call Solo his boyfriend would mean that he was in a relationship; that was something he was not willing to admit. If he did...then...

'No...I can't think about that right now...just deal with it later,' Duo told himself resolutely. Tonight was not a night for ponderings and what-ifs. He needed to stay focused. He was determined to make Solo's last night with him something memorable. Thinking of Heero wasn't going to help with that at all.

"No comment..." he mumbled under his breath.

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><p>The day was almost over and Heero really didn't have a clue on what he was going to do for the night. Staying at home was not an option, unless he wanted to bear witness to Duo's little tryst with Solo. That was a sight he could live without. As he prepared to leave, he couldn't help but be a little bit pleased that Solo was leaving the next day. His vacation would be over, his intrusion into their home would end, and things could finally go back to normal. Heero longed for the moment when Solo packed his stuff and exited, never to come back...and he planned to make that point clear to Duo as soon as his friend departed. As far as Heero was concerned, a second visit from that guy wouldn't happen...he wouldn't agree to it at all.<p>

Looking back, Heero did realize that Solo didn't do anything to him personally. He didn't insult him or try to start trouble...at least not intentionally. Hell, they barely spoke two words to each other. But Heero knew he didn't like him...not one little bit. Duo may have trusted him easily after speaking with him for a couple months, but Heero wasn't so trusting. He found it odd that Solo would appear out of the blue back into Duo's life. Why did he pick this moment to make an appearance? If Duo was so important, why didn't he make contact with him sooner? Heero was convinced that he could've just as easily found out about Duo at any time. It wasn't like Duo went into hiding. After the war, they all agreed to try and live normal lives. That wasn't possible in the Colonies (they still revered them as celebrities); so they all decided to make a life on Earth. But their contact information was not confidential...and Duo's name wasn't common. Seriously, how many Duo Maxwells were out there roaming the world and space, minus the one?

Wufei shared in Heero's suspicions, and Trowa was a little skeptical. He shook his head. It didn't matter what his suspicions were. In the end, his opinion was irrelevant. He didn't know Solo...and he didn't know of any way to prove whether he was the real deal or not. The only person who could do that was Duo. And whatever test Duo gave him, the guy obviously passed with flying colors. Nothing Heero could do or say would change anything now. Duo was convinced that he was the real Solo, and no one could probably convince him otherwise.

After shutting off the light to office, Heero locked the door and headed to the elevator. Ideas of what to do for the evening plagued his mind. First and foremost, he had to return home to pack an overnight bag and, more importantly, his laptop. He couldn't survive the night without it. As for where to sleep, he decided a hotel wouldn't be so bad. That way he wouldn't be a burden to anyone. Once he got in the elevator he rode it down to the lobby. Just as he was about to step off he came face to face with Trowa.

"Hey, Trowa. Heading up?"

"Trowa nodded. "I need to ask Quatre something before I go."

"Oh then don't bother." Heero stopped him from getting on. "Quatre left early today."

"He did?" Trowa scratched his head. "He didn't say anything to me."

"Well he was kind of in a rush…and I think you were in a meeting at the time."

"Oh…" Trowa watched as the elevator doors closed before walking with Heero toward the entrance. "So did he say what he had to do?"

Heero shrugged. "If I had to guess, he's probably helping Duo with his little date tonight."

"...Date?"

"Yeah."

"I thought Duo didn't have a boyfriend?"

"Hmph, you're the only one then," Heero said, a smirk forming on his face.

"Ok, I'll admit," Trowa pulled his keys out of his back pocket as they made their way out the door and to the massive parking lot in front of the building, "it does somewhat appear that Duo has gotten pretty cozy with this Solo fella."

"Only somewhat?" Heero shook his head. "We should switch places."

Trowa laughed. "I'll pass on that, thanks. So..." he gave Heero a quick glance, "since Duo is on a date tonight, what are you planning on doing?"

"I don't know yet. I did tell Duo that I would stay away for the night. That way he and Solo could have the place to themselves."

"Oh…? You actually agreed to that?"

"Yeah...what was I supposed to do?" Heero sighed. "I really wasn't in the mood to hear his mouth."

"You never are. So where are you gonna spend the night."

"I was thinking about just crashing at a hotel or something."

"...here." Trowa stopped and fiddled with his keys. After a few seconds, he removed one from the ring and handed it to Heero. "You can stay at my place. I won't be there anyway."

"What? No." Heero tried to give the key back, but Trowa took a step back, a resolute grin on his face.

"Seriously, it's fine. I plan on spending the night at Quatre's...and probably the whole weekend..." Trowa's voice trailed off on the last part, making Heero avert his eyes. He knew what that meant without Trowa having to elaborate further.

"Well...I'd only need it for the night..."

"Ok, then stay there for the night. Don't waste your money on a hotel. And on Monday, just return the key to me."

"Ok...you actually trust me though?"

"Of course." Trowa smirked. "You're not Duo. I know you won't trash the place." The response elicited a laugh from both of them.

Heero finally relented. "Alright...thanks."

"No problem. See ya." Trowa waved as he and Heero parted ways. Heero of course waved back before walking to his car. His evening was set – he would spend a quiet evening at Trowa's, working on his laptop. To the average person, this may have seemed like a very boring plan, but it suited Heero just fine. All he needed to do now was pick up a few things at his house before heading over there...including the laptop.

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><p>"Uh, Quatre?" Duo called out, staring intently at the cabernet bottle in his hand.<p>

"What?" Quatre called from the living room.

"What does it mean by 'divide' the wine?"

"What?"

"Divide the wine. What the hell does that mean?" Duo scratched his head. "I don't understand this cooking lingo."

Quatre poked his head in, a dumbfounded look on his face. "Are you being serious?"

"Uh yeah!" Duo looked at him, the bottle in one hand and measuring cup in another. "The recipe says half cup of wine, divided. How the fuck am I supposed to divide wine?"

Quatre hung his head. "Duo, you're such an idiot sometimes..." He walked over and grabbed the wine from him. "Divide means exactly what it sounds like. Your total amount is half, but you split it evenly between two containers. So instead of one 1/2 cup of wine you get...?"

Duo thought for a second. "Uh...2 1/4 cups?"

Quatre's eyes widened and he opened his mouth in shock. "Good! You earn a gold star!"

Duo eyes narrowed. "Don't make fun of me. I don't cook so how was I supposed to know?"

"Oh I dunno...common sense?" Quatre replied, cocking his head to the side.

"Oh go to hell!" Duo retrieved another measuring cup, then grabbed the bottle back from Quatre. "You can go back to doing whatever it was you were doing in the living room…" he blinked. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Oh nothing...just creating an ~inviting~ atmosphere," Quatre responded, a big smile on his face.

Duo stared at him questioningly. "~Inviting~?"

"You'll see..._after_ you finish preparing the sauce. Oh and don't forget to take the steaks out of the fridge in like 5 minutes." With that Quatre retreated back into the living room, leaving Duo to continue wondering what exactly he was doing in there. As much as he wanted to take a quick peak, he knew better. The last thing he wanted was to invoke the wrath of Quatre, which was only something he had seen once or twice in his lifetime. He was definitely not in the mood to see it again.

After "dividing" the wine, he poured one of the cups into a mixture he had started earlier. As he blended the ingredients together, he couldn't help but think back to his earlier conversation with Quatre. Had he really made his blonde friend believe that this was going to be a romantic evening for him and Solo? What words could he have said that gave him the idea? Special? Duo shook his head. There were so many meanings to that word, and although romantic was one of them, Duo was sure he didn't use it in that kind of context. All he meant was for Solo to have a nice evening, a fantastic end to his two-week long vacation. His original plan was just to have a good dinner, then maybe watch a couple movies before retreating to his bedroom for the evening finale, whatever it may be...well Duo had an idea. But he could still be surprised.

The sauce finished, Duo placed it in the fridge to "solidfy" and took the two steaks out. After setting them on the counter, he washed his hands before leaving heading into the living room, ready to see how Quatre transformed the living room.

"Ok Quatre, what exactly did you-" his breath caught in his throat as he gawked at the sight before him. Gone was the plain living room he was so used to seeing. Dark brown silk cloths were draped over the couch and armchair, with small red pillows resting on them to accent the look. The coffee table was stripped of its coasters and replaced with two vases on either side, each holding two roses within them. In the center was a medium-sized crystal bowl filled halfway with water, and 3 red candles floating on surface. Rose petals were daintily scattered along the floor. The windows were covered with a blend of red and brown drapery, making the room a lot dimmer than normal...when did Quatre find the time to put that up? Duo shook his head. "...Are you trying to get me laid?"

"What?" Quatre asked as he changed he switched out the light bulbs in the only two lamps in the living room.

"Nothing..." Duo walked over. "You know...I like the set up and all, but don't you think this is a little...I dunno...suggestive?"

"Suggestive?" Quatre laughed. "Well I was going to use white, but I figured that would be way too innocent for you." He looked Duo over. "You're not an angel...nowhere near in fact."

Duo stuck out his tongue. "You're not much of an angel yourself, mister. I haven't forgotten the many tales you told me about you and little Trowa."

"Yes...but at least when I try to act like an angel, it's believable."

"Yeah yeah..." A light scent caught Duo's attention. "Did you spray something in here?"

"Nope!" Quatre smiled. "I sprinkled some of the beads into the water. You like it?"

"Uh...well yeah I suppose..." Duo inhaled deeply. "Actually...it's nice."

"Good! I'll sprinkle some more in before I leave." Quatre replaced the final bulb. "There! This room's all set. I'll be sure the light the candles too." He gathered up some of the items and proceeded up the stairs.

"Uh...where are you going?" Duo asked as he followed him, stopping at the base of the stairs.

"Your bedroom." He shot Duo a wicked grin. "You'll love it, trust me." Then he disappeared around the corner, not bothering to wait for a response. Duo stared at the spot where Quatre once stood, now questioning whether it was a good idea to let him help. His ponderings didn't last long, however. The sound of the front door opening and closing snapped Duo back to reality and he gasped as he was met by Heero's inquisitive look.

"Shit, Heero! You scared me." Duo let out a sigh of relief. "For a second I thought..." Duo's voice trailed off as he watched Heero's gaze move from him to the direction of the living room. "Uh...what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back." Heero gave him a quick glance, but didn't answer. Instead, like routine, he placed his keys on the small table by the door and slowly walked past Duo to take in the view of what used to be their living room. Duo remained completely still, intent on watching Heero's movements closely.

Heero took his time surveying his surroundings, taking in the candles, rose petals, and delicate aroma laced in the air. After seeing enough, he turned back to look at Duo, who let out a shaky sigh as soon as their eyes met. Something flashed in Heero's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the scowl that formed. He quickly brushed past Duo and made his way up the stairs, not caring that Duo was calling his name or following him. He would've walked past Duo's room, if a small light didn't catch eye. He stopped, causing Duo to lightly bump into him.

"What?" Duo asked as he followed Heero's stare toward his room. Both walked in to see Quatre "preparing" Duo's room. What had caught Heero's eye was a single lit candle resting on Duo's dresser. At first Quatre didn't notice them as he was setting up more candles and then grabbed the bag of rose petals. But as soon as he turned around he let out a little yelp.

"Oh! Hi Heero," Quatre said sheepishly, hiding the bag behind his back, not that it made much difference. "Umm..." he looked around, trying to think of something to say. His eyes fell on the candle. "That one's scented. Sensual amber. It's really supposed to relax you and make you feel really good. I've heard that the scent will also make your...uh...experience...more enjoyable."

"Uh huh...thanks Quatre..." Duo mumbled.

Heero blinked shifting his gaze to Duo. He narrowed his eyes, making Duo cringe. Without saying a word, Heero retreated to his room, slamming his door behind him, which caused Duo and Quatre to jump.

Duo groaned as he leaned against the doorframe. "Make my experience more enjoyable, huh?" he shot an accusing look at Quatre. "Nice way to put it, Quatre."

Quatre crossed his arms. "Well I couldn't think of anything to say."

"How about not saying anything?" Duo covered his face with his hands. "Oh God, he wasn't supposed to see any of this...shit what am I gonna do...?"

"Well...for starters, you could start by being honest with him instead of leading him on."

"Huh?" Duo uncovered his face and looked at Quatre. "What do you mean?"

"Oh don't act like you don't know." Quatre sighed. "Look I don't have to spell it out for you. You know what I'm talking about it." Quatre proceeded to sprinkle some rose petals on Duo's bed. "You need to seriously decide what you want. Either you want to be serious with Heero – which if that's the case, ask him to stay and spend your night with him..."

"...or?"

"Or..." Quatre finished and returned his attention back to Duo. "You continue your plans for the evening and..." he narrowed his eyes. "Stop pretending that this is nothing but an ordinary night for you. If it were, you wouldn't have asked for my help. You wouldn't be trying to fix dinner. AND you wouldn't have asked Heero to stay away tonight." He crossed his arms. "Of course, by selecting the second option you're effectively telling Heero that you have no intention of being serious...which means he can move on...and whatever chance you may have had with him could be lost."

Duo stared at Quatre as he processed everything that was said. "...Ok." He pushed himself off the doorframe and made his way to Heero's room. After a moment's hesitation, he softly rapped on the door. He heard a faint "what" from the other side and, considering that invitation enough, let himself in.

Heero was in the process of shutting down his laptop. His overnight rested on the bed, already packed.

"You got everything you need?" Duo asked, leaning against the door.

"Hn."

"Ok..." Silence overcame them both. Duo watched as Heero packed the laptop in its case along with the cords and mouse. "Hey...can I say something?"

Heero zipped up the case and placed on it bed before turning to look at Duo, giving him his undivided attention.

Duo let out a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't expect you to be back here...although you clearly had a legitimate reason...not that you need one since this is your house too. If what you saw upset you...I...well..." He shook his head. "I'm not going to apologize."

"...what?" Heero said in a dangerously low voice.

Although a little unnerved, Duo didn't let it show. "I'm sorry, Heero...but I can't apologize every time I do something that annoys you or upsets you in the slightest. It's kinda driving me crazy." He fiddled with the tip of his braid. "I shouldn't have to apologize for being me and living the life that I want. You may not approve of it...but I really don't care."

Heero blinked as Duo's eyes locked onto his, a resilient spark all too apparent there.

Duo let his hand drops to his sides. "Heero, I'm not saying you're not important to me because you are. That won't change. But you've got to give me a break here." He sighed deeply before continuing. "I want to spend the night with Solo, not you. I want to do whatever Solo wants, no matter what it is. So if that means sex, then yeah, that's what it will be. That's why I don't want you here. I don't want to spend the night pondering about what you will do or say, or whether or not you can hear us. I care about you enough to not put you through that. I did the first time – I screwed up, and I'm sorry. That won't happen again. But I don't want to go out of my way for you either."

Heero continued to stare at him for a while before turning around. "You couldn't have summarized that a little bit...?"

Duo laughed as brushed his bangs back. "Yeah I guess I could've." He shoved his hands in his back pockets, and frowned. "Basically what I'm really trying to say is this...what I do in my personal life is really none of your business. And I don't need your permission or approval to do anything."

A breath caught in Heero's throat as Duo's last statements slowly registered in his mind. He didn't expect him to say something like that, and he wondered if it was even necessary. What did Duo have to gain from making such an unnecessary declaration? From what Heero could recall, he never expected Duo to do whatever he wanted. They lived together, shared a house together, and Heero always considered them as equals. Sure there were times that Duo was a little too sporadic or just plain stupid, but Heero never expected him to be any different; and he certainly didn't want him to change.

As much as he wanted to say this to him, to let flow out his mouth freely, Heero bit them back. He wanted this conversation to end now...no more conflict...he wasn't in the mood.

Heero slowly nodded his head, but didn't look back at Duo at all. "You're right...you don't need to apologize." He heard Duo sigh behind him, seemingly relieved of the outcome. Before he could respond however, Heero's phone which sat idle on the desk, started ringing; he considered it a godsend.

"I'll leave you alone now. And thanks," Duo smiled at him, then exited the room, softly closing the door as he exited.

Heero waited a little to listen to Duo's retreating footsteps before answering. "Hello?"

"_Hey."_

Heero smiled. "Hey, Zechs."

"_Everything alright? You sound out of it."_

"Yeah, I'm fine. Did you want something?"

"_No, just wondering what you were up to."_

"Oh..." Heero's thoughts jumbled in his mind for a second until he could finally latch onto one. "Hey umm, Zechs?"

"_Yeah? What is it?"_

"I was wondering...umm...are you doing anything...tonight?" There was a small hint of hesitation in Heero's voice; he had hoped Zechs didn't notice.

There was short pause on the other line. _"Actually, I was thinking of spending the night in...probably watch a couple movies...order pizza, that sort of thing."_

"Oh..."

"_...would you like to join me?"_

Heero hesitated. "Umm...a-are you sure it's ok?"

Zechs laughed a little. _"Of course." _Heero could hear some rummaging in the background. _"What kind of movies do you like?"_

"...Does it really matter?"

Heero could hear the smile in Zechs's voice as he responded. _"No...no it doesn't."_

"What time do you want me to come over?"

"_...Now? The pizza will be here by the time you arrive."_

Heero shook his head, chuckling to himself. What was he thinking? "Umm...yeah ok. I'll see you in a little bit then."

"_Alright, see you soon"_

"Bye..."

To be continued.

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><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: I needed to find a stopping point somewhere (I've really got to get some shut-eye for work tomorrow!). Chapter 10 is well under way, and with vacation time coming up, I hope to post sooner than I have been lately. As usual reviewscomments are welcome :)


	10. Chapter 10

HAHA! Finally released chapter 10 :) Hope you like it.

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><p>Chapter 10<p>

Heero had no idea what possessed him to agree to hang out with Zechs, or why he didn't put up much resistance to it. There were other things he could've done to keep away from the house. For one, he could've just follow his original plan, which was go to Trowa's house and chill until he was ready for bed. No movies, no phone calls, no guests – just him and his laptop. But no, he instead was in his car, driving to the other side of town, where Zechs resided. If this wasn't the most illogical decision if he ever made, he didn't know what was.

As he pulled into the parking lot of Zechs' apartment complex, Heero had some reservations about going up there. But it was too late to turn back now. Letting out soft sigh, Heero exited his car and made his way into the building and up to Zechs' apartment. In his hand was a bag carrying a pack of beer. He wasn't sure if buying it was a good idea at the time, but now he was kind of glad. Last time Heero was over, all Zechs had to drink was wine and water...at least that was all Zechs offered. He wasn't sure if wine went well with pizza, but beer did.

Standing outside Zechs door, Heero raised his hand to knock, but hesitated. He could turn around and head back down the steps, pretend like he wasn't there. And if Zechs called, he could tell him that something came up. He didn't have to go into detail about it...Zechs never questioned him. Heero let his knuckles hit the door. This wasn't something that he needed to run away from. It was just Zechs...what's the worst that could happen? Heero mentally decided to not answer that when the door opened to reveal a casual-looking Zechs Merquise, dressed in a red button-down shirt, untucked, and dark blue jeans. His long platinum-blonde hair was cascading over one shoulder.

Heero didn't realize he was staring until the smile on Zechs' face widened slightly. He shook his head. "Hey...I brought umm...I wasn't sure if..." he was mentally kicking himself as he fumbled through the words.

Zechs didn't seem to mind, rather he found it a little amusing. It wasn't every day that he could leave Heero somewhat speechless. "Come on in. Pizza's here." He moved away, allowing Heero to walk in and set the bag on the kitchen counter. The pizza was sitting on the coffee table in the living room, with two glasses and a bottle of wine. Heero smirked a little.

"I've never had wine with pizza."

"You should try it, then. It's good," Zechs replied, coming up next to him.

Heero grabbed one of the beers and twisted off the top. "Maybe later." He took a quick sip before heading into the living room, Zechs following close behind. "So what are we watching?"

"Hmm...how are you with old movies?"

Heero shrugged. "I like them, I guess."

"Good," Zechs said, smiling. "We're watching Charade."

"Never heard of it."

"Even better." Zechs flicked the light off while Heero curled up on the couch. While reaching for a slice of pizza, Zechs sat down on the other side and pressed play. For a second, Heero thought that he would try to sit closer, but was grateful he didn't. This wasn't a date...by any means. Just two friends watching a movie...that's all it was going to be, nothing more than that.

* * *

><p>"Ok, so I've set the table for you and the candles in the living room are lit," Quatre said as he surveyed his finished product. Duo simply nodded, back leaned against the wall. This was the most Quatre had said to him since Heero left. It was all too obvious how upset he was with Duo since the outcome was not what he had anticipated. But what was Duo to do? He had already made up his mind on what the plan was for the day. Asking Heero to stay would've ruined it. And it wasn't like Heero resisted, or showed any signs of extreme agitation. In fact, he didn't even sound upset when he said good-bye. But Duo knew that once this was all over, he and Heero would need to sit down and talk honestly...or at least give it a try.<p>

"Thanks for your help," Duo said, giving Quatre a small smile. Quatre reciprocated in kind, but behind it, Duo could see the uncertainty buried there. He sighed. "It'll be fine, I promise. Now hurry on outta here before Trowa suspects you're screwing around."

Quatre laughed softly as he grabbed his bags. "I highly doubt he'd think that, Duo. I'm not you." He collected the remaining unused items and stuffed them in a couple bags. The kitchen was cleaned, and dinner was staying warm in the oven. All Duo needed to do was set it out on the table when Solo arrived. "I left the beads in your room in case you wanted to use more."

Duo nodded. "Ok."

"Ok, well that's it then." Quatre gave Duo one last smile before heading to the door. Just before opening it though, he stopped and turned to face him. "I just have one more thing to say..."

"You think I made the wrong choice, right?" Duo asked, expecting Quatre to confirm. To his surprise, Quatre shook his head.

"No not at all. Actually I think in this situation, either choice would've been fine...it's just..."

"...What?"

"Well...I can't help but wonder if it wasn't so much a choice between Solo and Heero...but more of a choice between the present and possible future."

Duo's forehead wrinkled up a bit. Leave to Quatre to speak in riddles. "In plain English, please?"

Quatre shrugged. "I dunno, just a thought." He opened the door. "Call me tomorrow, ok? I wanna know how things go."

Duo smiled and gave him a small wave. "Sure thing."

After saying good-bye, Quatre left, softly closing the door behind him. Duo remained in the same spot for a while and absently listened to Quatre's car start and drive away. The last thing he said...if he was trying to put doubt in Duo's mind, well mission accomplished. Present and future? Duo never thought of his decision in that way - why would he? It wasn't like this was a life or death situation.

Waving his hand as if to dismiss the thought, Duo made his way up the stairs to take a quick shower. It had been a couple hours since he sent Solo on his "little" errand; he was probably on his way back with a car stock full of groceries and the other miscellaneous items Duo put on that bogus list. Duo smiled as he thought about how annoyed Solo would look as soon as he walked in the door...and how quickly his expression would change as soon as he saw his surprise. At least Duo knew that he'd get a better reaction from him than he did from Heero...

Duo opened eyes as soon as Heero's name and image resurfaced in his mind. A future...with Heero? Was that what Quatre meant? It wasn't like Duo hadn't thought about it before. Of course he had some hope that they would continue living together for a long time, if not for the rest of their lives. Duo hoped that they would continue to be there for each other, comfort each other when necessary, and maybe even...love each other? Duo shook his head at that suggestion. That wasn't possible...not yet anyway. He still wasn't up to par with Heero's standards.

Heero was a very stoic and serious individual; he always approached each task methodically, not wanting or caring to deviate from the prescribed plan laid out in his mind. Duo was the exact opposite. He always jumped in headfirst, and looked at each situation as something new and challenging. He was aggressive sometimes with how he tackled life's many challenges; but in the end he still managed to find humor in everything, and kept his carefree nature. Nothing had to fit into a box with him; with Heero, it did. They were complete opposites, and yet their friendship worked. To add anything more to that would tarnish it...wouldn't it?

Of course Duo dreamed that there could be something more, and at times he wished Heero would express the same sentiments. If that already happened, then it was obviously too miniscule for Duo to spot...or he just wasn't paying attention. No, that wasn't true. Of course Duo paid attention; he always waited for any opportunity to give Heero hints that he wanted more from him than what was given. The subtle touches, light kisses on his cheek or neck, even (when he was lucky) a small peck on the lips...all these were Duo's way of telling Heero 'I want to take the next step with you.' Wasn't that enough of a clue...or was Heero too thickheaded to notice? Duo suspected that to be the case; but the alternative to his small actions would be a full frontal assault...and he wasn't about to attempt that. Unlike Zechs, he would get more than just a broken cheekbone. Hell, his very life would be in danger.

However, what about the flipside? Although he wasn't as promiscuous as he used to be in his younger years, Duo enjoyed the single life. He enjoyed the freedom it gave him; being able to see who he wanted, whenever he wanted; the occasional romp in the sheets with no strings attached; going out just because he could, and not having to worry about coming home to an upset and angry lover. A future with Heero would mean giving that up...and he just didn't want that right now. That was probably the reason he chose Solo tonight. Choosing Heero meant choosing commitment, and as much as his heart craved that, his body wasn't quite ready yet. There would be plenty of time for that kind of stuff anyway; after all, they were still young, still had many years ahead of them to settle down into a mundane lifestyle. Duo wanted to continue enjoying the younger years while they lasted.

Solo was exciting; he was spontaneous, like him, and open to new things. Duo liked that a lot about him. It seemed Solo knew how to enjoy life, and live in the now. Enjoy each day as if it were your last, because the future is not guaranteed. That's the kind of person Duo wanted paramount in his life right now. And Solo fit that request perfectly...too bad he couldn't stay...

Letting out a soft sigh, Duo turned off the water and stepped out the shower. He untied his hair from the top of his head; he didn't wash it this time. If he had, there was no way it'd be done drying by the time Solo came back. After drying off quickly, he went to his bedroom to change. He didn't bother to wrap the towel around his waist; he was the only one in the house so it wasn't like anyone would notice.

Since they were not going out for the evening, Duo decided to wear something a little bit more normal and easy to take off...if necessary. He put on a form-fitting black polo shirt that barely covered his midriff area, leaving it unbuttoned. The jeans he wore were a little loose, but still contoured to his legs and hugged his hips. Duo always prided himself having a somewhat feminine physique but still maintaining his masculinity. After getting dressed, he sat down the bed and tended to the task of braiding his hair. He had been doing it for years, but that still didn't mean it wasn't a chore. As soon as his finished, he got up and (for once) proceeded to straighten his room. While doing that, he noticed that his cellphone, which lay undisturbed on the bed, was flashing.

'Maybe Quatre forgot something...' he thought as he checked what the notice was. A text message...from Heero. Without hesitation, Duo opened it to see what it said.

_Sorry for what happened earlier. I didn't mean to upset you. Hope you enjoy your evening._

Duo blinked and re-read the text over and over. Heero...was apologizing...really? Duo didn't feel there was any need for an apology. Heero really didn't do anything outside of what was typical of him. So why...

This was puzzling, and rather than drop it, Duo did only thing he could at the time. He called Heero's number. This was a gamble; Solo would probably come through the door any minute, and Duo had to be sure to be downstairs when he did. The conversation with Heero would be short; he just needed him to answer a simple question...right...lately nothing with Heero had been simple.

"_Hello?"_

"What was the apology for? I'm not mad at you or anything."

"_...I just wanted to, that's all."_

"Yeah, but why?" Duo sat down on the bed. "Your text is kinda bugging me."

"_Why?"_

"Because you apologized...for a reason I don't even know!"

Heero sighed softly. _"Like I said. I just wanted to. I thought maybe I ruined your plans or something...I don't know."_

"Ruined my...why because you came home?" Duo laid back, a smile forming on his face. "Really Heero, you're too naïve sometimes."

"_Hey!"_

"I don't mean it in a negative way. I'm just simply pointing out that you get worked up over trivial things, that's all."

"_Oh...well you could've said that, then. Not call me naïve..."_

"Ok, I'm sorry." Duo laughed. "I'm glad you're talking to me...for a while I thought-" A distinct voice in the background caused Duo to bite back what he was about to say and replace it with, "Who was that?" When Heero didn't readily respond, he sat up slowly, his eyes visibly narrowing. "Heero, who was that?"

"_Zechs."_

"Why are you with Zechs?"

"_...Because I'm at his place."_

"WHAT!" Duo jumped to his feet, his anger reaching for zero to boiling point in a nanosecond. "What the hell are you doing there!"

"_He invited me over." _Heero continued to speak in a calm voice. That made Duo even more annoyed.

"So! Who the fuck cares if he invited you? You could've said no!"

"_Well I didn't." _Heero responded sternly. _"And really I don't think it should matter to you. I'm staying away from the house right? Why should it matter to you who I choose to spend my time with?"_

"Shouldn't matter! Why the hell wouldn't it matter to me? He's the one that fucking stuck his tongue down your throat without your permission, and continues to stalk you even after you told him in that there's no way in hell you'd give him a chance!"

"_...I never told him that."_

"Wha-Heero yes you did! I was there when you-"

"_My exact words were that I wasn't sure, not that there was no way in hell."_

"But still, you-"

"_And I recall last week you stuck your tongue down my throat without my permission. Does that mean I shouldn't hang out with you either?"_

Duo was at a loss for words, completely flabbergasted by Heero's question. "Th-that...we already discussed that - it was an accident!"

"_Precisely. What you did was an accident; what Zechs did 3 YEARS AGO was an accident. I don't see any reason to not trust him now."_

"But...but Heero-!"

"_What was it you said to me earlier? Oh right. 'What I do in my personal life is really none of your business. And I don't need your permission or approval to do anything.' Did I get that right?" _Duo didn't respond...he was too busy feeling like he just got slapped in the face. Heero didn't wait long for a response either. Heero chuckled softly before saying, _"Enjoy your evening Duo. Hope it's worth it."_ After that, the line went dead. Heero hung up without waiting for a good-bye.

Duo stared at his phone, a look of utter shock plaster on his face. Was that really Heero he just spoke to? Their conversation was going so well, and in a matter of seconds, it did a complete 180?

"Duo! Get your skinny little ass down here and help-what this?"

"Shit!" Duo tossed the phone on the bed and hurried down the stairs. By the time he got there, Solo was already in the living room, his arms full of grocery bags. Duo forced an extremely convincing smile on his face before Solo turned around to look at him. "Surprise!" He walked over and gave him a gentle yet sweet kiss.

"Wha...what is all this?" Solo asked as he set the bags down.

Duo shrugged. "Nothing special. I just wanted to do something different for your last night, you know?" He took Solo's hand. "Come on, I'll help you unpack the car, and then we can eat. Sound good?"

"Uh...uh huh, sure..." Solo was still at a loss for words and Duo led him back outside to the car. Duo was grateful for that. His mind was too busy replaying the last things Heero said to him. He never knew Heero to be someone who'd throw a statement back in someone's face...especially one that was said half-heartedly...at least Duo thought he said it that way. Surely Heero didn't take it to heart...did he? Duo shook his head. Now was not the time to think about it. Solo was his top priority now, and it would stay that way for the rest of the night. He would tackle this new-emerging Heero issue in the morning...and get to the bottom of why the fuck he decided to stay with Zechs.

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><p>The phone conversation with Duo went better than Heero anticipated. He hoped that his point was made clear, much like how Duo did just a few hours earlier. Yes, it was his life, and he shouldn't be concerned with the feelings and opinions of others. Besides, if Duo was allowed to have fun, why couldn't he?<p>

Heero watched as Zechs stood in the kitchen. He was right, pizza and wine wasn't that bad together, although Heero was sure he wouldn't make a habit of it. Together they polished off 2 bottles; now Zechs was opening another. Heero wasn't used to drinking too much and could tell that his vision was getting a little hazy. Even his movements seemed a little sluggish, but he made sure that these impediments weren't obvious. His speech wasn't slurred at all, and he didn't need help getting up to go to the bathroom, having done that a couple times already without problem. Of course, though, his plan to go to Trowa's afterward was a definite no-go. He felt sure that he would make it there, but didn't want to risk it...he wasn't like Duo.

Zechs returned with two freshly poured glasses of wine. He handed one to Heero before sitting closely next to him. "So, how was your talk with Duo?"

"Typical," Heero replied before taking a sip. "He doesn't like you very much."

"Hmm, I knew that already." He tapped his glass. "Sometimes I wonder what I did to make him feel that way...but I guess it's kind of obvious."

"Oh?"

"Yes..." Zechs set his glass down on the coffee table and took Heero's after he finished taking another sip. He set it down next to his own before looking back at the confused boy in front of him. "He doesn't like competition."

"Competition?" Heero rubbed his arms, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable with the closeness. "I don't...what are you competing for?" He swallowed, hoping his nervousness wasn't obvious in his voice. He already knew the answer to that question...but he still wanted to hear it.

A small smile formed on Zechs' lips. He gently grabbed hold of Heero's hand. "You...your attention...your company...everything that you are...that's what we're competing for."

"...Oh." Heero looked down at his hand clasped in Zechs'. Was this really what he wanted? He shook his head. "Duo's not your rival...he made his choice..."

"And you?" Zechs asked as he leaned a little further in. "What have you decided?"

"I..." _I don't know what to decide. _Before Heero could come up with any kind of answer, Zechs surged forward and gently pressed his lips against his own. He released Heero's hand and moved to cup his face, all the while pressing further into him, forcing him to lie back onto the couch. Heero didn't know when his eyes slid shut, and without thinking, he lips yielded to Zechs', allowing his tongue to slip into his mouth. Heero let out a stifled groan before pushing Zechs away to catch his breath. Whoa...this was very different. His cheeks burned with what he could only describe as embarrassment, and as he looked up at Zechs smiling softly down at him, he could feel his temperature rise a few degrees. He looked away, only to feel Zechs rub their cheeks together.

"I've wanted to kiss you like that ever since we met...thank you letting me this time."

Heero nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment. He could feel every muscle in his body shaking; he was afraid that if he uttered a single word, it would come out sounding timid. That was not how he wanted to be perceived. He wasn't timid...just confused. He didn't know why he let Zechs kiss him this time...it just seemed...kind of natural.

Zechs proceeded to plant tiny kisses along his cheek and jawline, before trailing down his neck, all the while whispering those three words he always said only to him.

"I love you...I love you...I love you..." Zechs continued this mantra, and Heero felt Zechs' hands lift his shirt and roam across his bare chest. He shivered. Why was he letting Zechs do this? Was it the wine? He wasn't that drunk, he knew, and he wasn't paralyzed. If he wanted, he could easily shove Zechs off of him, and this torment would be over...so why wasn't he stopping him?

Zechs planted a firm kiss on Heero's forehead before meeting his eyes again. That smile was still there; that content, satisfying smile. "I love you..." he said before locking their lips together in a much deeper kiss than before. His hands left Heero's body and sought after his hands, entwining their fingers together. The wine was completely forgotten, the time was nonexistent, even the room seemed to disappear around them. All Heero could focus on was this nagging feeling welling up inside him. It wasn't pleasant, but he craved it and wanted to grab hold of it the longer Zechs continued his ministrations. But at the same time he was scared...because along with this unnamed feeling was something that Heero knew all too well.

Regret.

To be continued...

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><p>I re-read this story from the beginning and decided that I needed to continue. I like it too much :) LOL, how long has it been? So sorry for the delay! I just kept staring at this and I really didn't know how to proceed. I think I may have drawn this out a lot more than I needed to, but oh well, it's finally done. Can't tell you when Ch 11 will come out. With work and personal obligations, I have trouble finding the time to write stories anymore...but I'll keep trying.<p>

Anyway please review and let me know what you think so far. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

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><p>Dinner had gone well...at least from what Duo could tell. The steak turned out a lot better than he expected, and judging by how long it didn't take for Solo to finish it, Duo concluded that he liked it as well. So far, everything was going according to plan...except that he couldn't stop thinking about Heero and what he could be doing with Zechs, if anything. But luckily, Solo hadn't yet noticed how distracted he was. The last thing Duo wanted was to ruin their last night together. Who knew when they'd be able to see each other again after this visit...<p>

"Had I known you could cook, we probably could've stayed here a lot more...and saved you more money," Solo said before finishing off his second bottle of beer.

Duo simply shrugged. "You never asked." He got up and proceeded to clear the table. "Besides, anybody can be excellent cook..." he smirked, "as long as you follow the recipe."

"Ah, so you didn't experiment at all?"

Duo laughed. "Hell no! I'm not gonna be responsible for your death! Plus, I want to see you again. Can't do that if you're six feet under."

"True..." Silence fell between the two while Duo began washing the dishes they had used. He could've easily left them there until the morning – that was his typical habit – but he figured since it was only a little, it wouldn't be difficult to clean them now. Plus...he didn't want to hear Heero complain.

'I wonder what he's doing right now...' Duo immediately frowned after that thought. 'Hmph, why should I care? It's none of my business.'

"What?"

"Huh?" Duo turned his head back to look at Solo, who blinked at him a few times.

"You said that something was none of your business..."

'Crap!' "Oh, haha! Nothing, nothing! Just had a spaced-out moment, that's all. No worries." Duo turned off the sink faucet and grabbed the nearest towel. "Why don't you go to the living room and pick something to watch? I'll be there in a minute, ok?"

Solo smiled at him as he got up from the table. "Sure. What are you up for?"

Duo shrugged. "Whatever you want. I'll watch anything."

"Ok." Solo stared at him for a few seconds before exiting. Duo immediately leaned against the counter and let out a frustrated sigh. Who was he kidding? He wasn't paying attention to Solo at all. He barely heard two words that came out of his mouth throughout the entire dinner. All because a certain Japanese guy decided to fuck up his whole night...well not intentionally...for the most part, Duo was letting him fuck it up. Why couldn't it be like other times? Duo never had a hard time focusing on tasks before, and this was definitely a task that he couldn't screw up...wait...

"I shouldn't be thinking about it like this...it's more than that..." Duo pushed himself off the counter and peered into the living room. Solo was more than just a task. He was the first person he ever trusted and loved. This wasn't some assignment for work...this was someone important. When Duo formulated this whole night, it was under the premise that it would be fun, and absent of any distractions, which was why Duo felt asked Heero to not be at the house tonight. Well, it seemed that Heero didn't have to be in the house to successfully divert Duo from what was supposed to be the best evening of Solo's visit.

Duo pulled his cell out of his pocket. Earlier he went upstairs just to check it...only to bring it with him when he went back down to finish eating with Solo. There was some part of him that hoped that Heero would call him back or maybe text him again. That didn't happen...and it still hadn't happened. Maybe Heero was having a good time with Zechs. Duo's grip on his cell tightened. What the hell was Heero thinking? Zechs? Really! What the hell did he see in a guy that was practically his stalker? Did he enjoy that type of unhealthy attention...no...that wasn't like Heero at all...not the Heero he knew anyway. There had to be another explanation...

As if on auto-pilot, Duo dialed Heero's number. He wasn't going to berate Heero with a million questions (that could wait until tomorrow); he just wanted to check on him...make sure he was ok. He was doing it as a friend...

The phone rang, and rang, and rang...

"_This is Heero. I'm busy - leave a message."_

"Dammit..." Duo pressed the "end" button and pushed the phone back into his pocket. Yeah...Heero was probably having a good time...and that didn't set well with Duo at all. He quickly grabbed two bottles of beer out of the fridge and headed into the living room to join Solo on the couch.

'Let him have fun. Who cares? It's not like I'm the one that will regret it later...' Duo plastered a smile on his face as he took a seat next to Solo, handing him one of the bottles. It didn't take long from them to move closer to each other and Solo's arm to wrap around Duo's shoulders.

"So...what's with the candles?" Solo asked as he pointed to flickering flames on the coffee table.

Duo chuckled a little. "I have a completely overdramatic hopeless romantic for a friend...he sometimes goes a little overboard."

"Uh huh, ri~ight." Solo gave Duo's shoulder a quick squeeze before returning his attention to the movie, allowing Duo's mind it ponder a million unanswerable questions and torturously conjure up images of what Heero could be doing with Zechs...some of which were not good.

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><p>Heero sat quietly alone on Zechs' couch, waiting from him to return with his bag. He felt dizzy...and a little sick. He figured it was just his nerves based on what had transpired just moments before. It was the first time he actually allowed someone to kiss him like that...and that someone happened to be Zechs Merquise. He used to sometimes wonder what it would be like...now he knew. It wasn't unpleasant by any means, so why did he feel so miserable? It wasn't as if he had his hopes up, and he certainly wasn't anticipating that moment – he wasn't even ready for it. It kind of just happened...but thankfully it didn't lead to anything significant. Allowing Zechs to feel over his body was fine, but the very second he tried to unbutton his pants, Heero pushed him off and backed away, quickly increasing the distance between them. He was sure that Zechs got the hint that he went too far, and he was quick to apologize. Heero accepted it; after all he did consider Zechs a friend and knew that he wouldn't intentionally put Heero in an uncomfortable situation. He concluded that Zechs got carried away, overstepped his bounds and did what was only the natural next step, which was something Heero was in no way prepared for.<p>

A wave of nausea rushed over Heero and he hung his head, groaning softly. "It must be the alcohol..." he mumbled. He got up from the couch and went to the bathroom, figuring that if he cooled off a bit, he would be fine, or at least calmer before Zechs came back. Because it was getting late, Zechs suggested that Heero stay with him rather than drive all the way to Trowa's to sleep. Although apprehensive of the idea, Heero couldn't find any plausible reason against it.

After splashing water on his face a couple times, he looked at himself in the mirror while patting his face with a nearby towel. As he gently brushed against his lips, he felt something in his stomach flutter.

A kiss...something so simple, yet holds a lot of meaning. It had been a long time since Heero felt this way, felt so...confused. The first time was when Duo...

Heero shook his head. He wasn't going to think about that, not now...no matter how nice it was. It was simple...but very different...and, if had to pick the word, sweet. It was Christmas Eve, and Quatre (as usual) hosted a party. They were alone, watching as everyone mingled. Then Duo looked up and slowly a smile formed on his face. Heero remembered thinking that Duo was probably recalling a pleasant memory. But then, he returned his gaze to him, and muttered one word.

"_Mistletoe."_

"_What?"_ Heero didn't know what he meant, and didn't get an explanation either. Instead, Duo suddenly moved forward and brought his hands up to cup the sides of Heero's face. Before Heero had a chance to comprehend what was going on, he felt Duo's lips pressed against his. Instinctively, Heero grabbed Duo's wrists with the intension to push him away; but when he heard Duo's soft sigh, his grip loosened and he felt himself hesitantly kiss back.

The kiss was brief, and wasn't nearly as forceful as Zechs', but the intensity was overwhelming. Never had he felt so vulnerable, and yet he remembered also feeling content, knowing that it was Duo making him feel that way. In a way, it made him happy. That was the first kiss they shared...and the last one that ever mattered to Heero. All the others afterward were the result of Duo's drunken stupidity, and they didn't even come close to that particular contact. The others always seemed to be done out of convenience: Duo felt the urge to kiss someone and Heero would just so happen to be standing there within close proximity. Most of the time, Heero would push him away or only allow a simple peck; but there were a few times where Heero allowed it to go further, kind of hoping that he could catch a glimpse of the feeling he experienced during their first time. It never happened...it always ended in disappointment...

"Stop it," Heero told himself. Why was he even thinking about Duo at the moment? Duo wasn't here, he wasn't going to be here, and Heero certainly wasn't going to call him. He put the towel back on the rack and went back into the living room. Zechs still hadn't returned. Not wanting to sit back down, Heero went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. No more alcohol for the night.

'I wonder what Duo's doing...hmph...he probably already has his clothes off letting Solo do with him whatever he wants, however he wants...God sometimes Duo can act like such a little wh-' The front door opened and Heero clamped down on the remaining thoughts that threatened to spew from his brain. He pathetically took a sip of his water as Zechs came into view, hoping that he wouldn't see the slight tint of pink on his cheeks.

"Hey, sorry it took so long. I got stopped by my neighbor." Zechs put Heero's bag down and came over to stand in front of him. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting long," he said before lightly planting a kiss on Heero's forehead.

Heero shook his head. "No, it's fine. Thanks." He was feeling awkward...very awkward. He didn't think Zechs would be so forward, but considering what happened, Heero figured he couldn't deny him...but he would make sure that Zechs understood his position. They were only friends...nothing more.

Why not? What was holding Heero back? Zechs wasn't a bad person...Heero considered him one of his good friends, alongside Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei. Duo didn't fit in the category of "good friend." He hadn't for a long time. Duo was in a class all his own. He was spontaneous, unpredictable, childish, frustrating, a royal pain in the ass MOST of the time...but when he wasn't...Duo could be...very...

"Hey are you alright? You look a little flustered..." Zechs placed the palm of his hand on Heero's forehead, brushing his bangs aside.

'Crap!' Heero backed away, spilling a little bit of his water in the process. "I'm fine," he said quickly, setting the glass down on the counter. "I think I'd better change - it's getting late." Without waiting for a response, Heero brushed past Zechs, grabbed his bag and went straight into the bathroom. As soon as he closed the door, he let out a breath he forgot he was holding back. This was not like him at all...his hands were shaking as he rummaged through his bag, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He needed to get it together. The last thing he needed for the Zechs to think that he was this timid little boy...that didn't suit him well at all. But this sort of thing normally didn't happen to him...

After changing he checked himself out in the mirror, making sure his color was back to normal. Then after taking a couple deep breaths to further calm himself, he exited the bathroom and returned to the living room, where Zechs was patiently waiting seated on the couch. He too was dressed for bed...if all he wore to bed was a pair of silk pajama pants. Unlike Duo, Zechs didn't tie his hair back or wear it in braid (which would probably make him look weird). His hair cascaded down his back, while a few strands lay over his shoulders. Heero rubbed his forearms, trying not to look overtly nervous...there was no need to be, right?

"So...I'm assuming I'll sleep out here?" He asked, pointing to the couch.

Zechs raised a brow. "Well, sure, if you want to. But I thought maybe you would be more comfortable in the bed-" Before he could finish, Heero's phone started chirping, which before had sat quietly on the coffee table all this time. Without hesitation, Heero picked it up to see who was calling: Duo. Normally he wouldn't hesitate to answer it. Duo probably just wanted to check on him...

'What am I, a child? I don't need to be checked up on...' Heero frowned as he continued to stare at the name flashing on the tiny screen. He barely noticed Zechs come up beside him.

"You know...you don't have to answer it."

"..." Heero knew that. Duo wasn't entitled to speak to him...and Heero didn't have to answer every time he called. But, it's what he always did...so...

Not much registered in Heero's mind when Zechs grabbed his phone and tossed onto the couch. "Hey! What are you - mmph!" The last part of Heero's question was cut off by Zechs locking his mouth with his in an obviously hungry kiss. Was this for real...this was really happening? Heero's mind had to have been going a thousand miles per second as he felt Zechs arms wrap around him, pressing their bodies together.

'Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god - do something!' Heero mind screamed as it tried desperately to catch up and comprehend what was happening to his body. Heavy breathing, panting, hands roaming - Heero gasped as Zechs latched onto his neck and he suddenly felt himself be lifted off the ground. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around Zechs' neck while his legs wrapped his waist. 'Wha - what the hell are you doing!' Heero really didn't have much time to answer as he was carried out of the living room, down the hall, and to what he could assume was the bedroom. It was dark, but he faintly heard the door slam and he was being lowered onto the bed. Any thought of what Duo wanted was long forgotten...nothing more than distant memory.

* * *

><p>The movie's credits played in the background, but neither viewer was aware; they were too busy paying attention to each other. Duo didn't know who made the first move...maybe it was him. The movie was boring, and Duo needed some kind of distraction to keep his mind off of another distraction. Solo didn't seem very much into the movie either; every once in a while, he'd make a comment about it...but it was nothing relevant: something about the girl's shirt...or the shade of the sky...the color of the car...and other unimportant observations. It started out as simple touching. Duo rested his hand on Solo's thigh, while Solo's hand started to lightly massage Duo's neck. Next thing they knew, Duo was straddling Solo's lap and kissing in the most desperate way. They practically clawed at each other's clothing, not caring if any fabric was ripped in the process. Duo needed a distraction; Solo needed some kind of closure...but this wasn't it.<p>

Something snapped in Solo's mind and he shook his head. "Duo...Duo, no." When it was clear that Duo wasn't listening, Solo grabbed hold of his shoulders and pushed him back while still holding him in place. "Stop, Duo." He said, panting softly.

Duo stared at him while he labored breathing slowly calmed, obviously confused. "What's wrong?" he finally asked after what seemed like forever.

Solo sighed. "I...I can't do this."

"What?" Duo laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"No," he replied firmly. "I'm not." He gently nudged Duo off so he could sit down next to him on the couch. Besides the background noise coming from the TV, the room was silent. Solo took the time to gather his thoughts. This was his last night with Duo...the last thing he wanted was to ruin it, seeing as how much work Duo put in to make it special...but he couldn't leave with the way things were...he needed to be honest with Duo...and Duo needed to be honest with himself.

'This is going to hurt...but...' Solo turned to look at Duo, who still stared at him like he had lost his mind. He smiled inwardly - this was probably the first time someone had actually refused Duo's advances...well it sure was hell wasn't easy. "Look, Duo...I really want to...really. But I can't do this sort of thing with you anymore."

"I don't...what do you mean?"

Solo sighed. "I mean...I can't pretend that this is just sex to me...because it's not. It hasn't been...ever. You may be able to have sex with someone, no strings attached. But that doesn't come to me easily. Of course I'll have some feelings; but with you, they're all over the map. I can't do this...not with the feelings I have for you..." Solo smiled sadly. "Not when I know they won't be returned."

Duo blinked a few times. "Wait, hold on - just what are you trying to - "

"I love you."

"...huh?" Duo eyes widened and he mouth went slack. Did he hear that right...?

Solo continued to stare at him, wanting to give Duo time to respond with something more than a "huh." Secretly, he hoped for the declaration to be returned, to prove him wrong. To prove that he didn't already know that Duo was in love with someone else, even if he wouldn't admit it. To prove that he was more than just an easy lay for Duo, and this was more than just a fling. For his feelings to be returned wholeheartedly - that's what Solo wanted, more than anything...but the longer they sat in silence, the more he realized that it wasn't going to happen...and that realization coursed through him like a slow burning flame.

"I knew it..." Solo slowly shook head. "You can't say it, can you?"

"..." Duo was at a loss for words. He wasn't prepared for this...not in the least. What was he supposed to say to that? I love you too? That was the typical response...but wouldn't it be wrong to make a statement like that so casually? The phrase "I love you" carried with it a lot of meaning and expectation. For Duo to repeat it would mean that he had the same feelings that Solo expressed...which was a lie. He loved Solo, yes, but not in the way he was sure Solo wanted. The love Solo wanted from Duo was something he couldn't give him...because...

Duo hung his head as he averted his eyes. This was not how the evening was supposed to go. "I'm sorry..." he softly muttered.

Solo shrugged, visibly sad, but still smiling. That was the response he was expecting...anything more would've been unrealistic. Duo couldn't love him...not when he already harbored such feelings for someone else. "You know...Thursday, when I took your car...I really wasn't running an errand." He took a quick glance at Duo before continuing. "I needed some time to think...to think about me...you...us...our relationship...Heero..."

"Heero?" Duo looked up at him, clearly confused. "Why would you think about him?"

Solo's smiled widened. "Because you love him." When Duo quickly opened his mouth to say something else, Solo ruined his opportunity. "Don't deny it because you know it's true." He leaned back a little. "From the moment I saw you two together, I knew there was something going on between you. But when I asked you, you said that you didn't love him. Now, I don't know if you said that because you were trying to lie to yourself, or if you really truly had no idea that what you felt for the guy was love...but..." Solo turned so that he was facing Duo completely. "I could tell. I saw the way you spoke to him, the way you personality changed slightly when he was around, the way you looked at him, and the way you always ALWAYS put his feelings, his concerns above all others, no matter what. He was upset with you half the time I was here, and you did everything you could to make it right, even push me aside knowing that I would be here for two weeks. No one does that for just anybody...you didn't do that for me, except for tonight."

Solo stood up and to take in the view. "You really went all out tonight, and I really appreciate that...hell, you even made sure Heero stayed away." He kneeled down in front of Duo, placing his hands on his lap. "But Heero was never far from your mind...was he?"

Duo didn't vocally answer. He just shook his head, to which Solo smiled and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, Duo, very much. You're the most important person in my life and I would do anything for you. And all I want is for you to be happy. I wish your happiness came from being with me, but-"

"But I am happy being with you," Duo managed to choke out as a few tears spilled from his eyes. "I really am...it's just - "

"I know...you can't share in my feelings." Solo sat back down on the couch, pulling Duo into a warm embrace. "And I understand that and accept it. It took a little bit, but I've come to realize that you've got a good thing going here...and Heero's a great catch...although sometimes he does act like a total asshole." At that remark, he heard Duo stifle a laugh between sobs. "But I know he makes you happy...and I'm sure once you both come to terms with your feelings for each other, you two will make a really good couple." Solo softly stroked Duo's back, listening to the soft sniffling coming from him.

"I want us to be friends...to still keep in touch. I don't want to lose you after having found you after all these years. Is that alright?"

"Yeah..." Duo muffled into Solo's shirt.

"Ok..."

"...does this mean I'm not going to get laid tonight?"

"Wha - HAHAHAHA!" Solo pulled Duo back enough to give him a firm solid kiss on the lips. "You're unbelievable."

"Well can't blame a guy for trying," Duo replied as he wiped his tears away. He gave Solo a nice smile. "Thank you...really."

Solo nodded. "You're welcome. So, what do you want to watch next?"

"Anything but romantic comedy...that crap is boring."

"Well you should've suggested something when I asked you earlier."

"How was I supposed to know you'd pick some bullshit like that? I thought you had good taste." Duo picked up the remote and start flipping through their options. "I'm picking this time."

Solo smiled, patting Duo on the back. "Suit yourself."

* * *

><p>This was the day Duo dreaded from the moment Solo arrived...and now it was here. In just 30 minutes, Solo would be on his way back to the Colonies...who knew when the next time they'd see each other would be. Duo was a walking ball of nerves and sadness. He didn't want Solo to leave, but he couldn't very well ask him to say. They both had to get back to their lives...Duo knew he'd have mounds a reports waiting for him at the office.<p>

"I hate my life..."

"No you don't, you love it," Solo said as he rejoined him by the escalators.

"Whatever...so you checked in...all set?"

"Yep." Solo smiled. "I'll call you as soon as I land ok?"

"Yep..." Duo smiled back, a small lump forming in the back of his throat. Thankfully, Solo pulled him into one last long hug. This was it. Time to say good-bye.

"Remember what you said, ok? We'll keep in touch."

Duo nodded. "Of course."

Solo looked at him, and wiped away a stray tear. "Ok..." After planting a gently kiss on Duo's forehead, he turned and made his way up the escalator. Duo remained in place, watching as Solo got to the second floor. He turned to look back at Duo and waved. A few more tears escaped as he waved back, and after taking a few more steps, Solo was out of sight.

Duo stood there for a little while longer, letting the fact hit him that Solo was gone...things were going back to normal...and tomorrow he would be going to work...

He turned and made his way through the double-door entrance and to his car. He picked up the pace as he felt the lump grow bigger, and more tears streamed down his face. As soon as he made into his vehicle, he rummaged for his phone and dialed the only number that came to mind.

"Please...please pick up, please..." he begged as the line continued to ring.

_This is Heero. I'm busy - leave a message. _Duo choked back a sob just before the beep ended.

"Heero...please, I really need to speak to you...so...umm...please just uh...call me as soon as you get this...please...I really...need you right now..." As soon as Duo hung up, he dropped the phone in his lap and allowed himself to cry, long and hard. He was hurting...not only because Solo was gone...but also because he finally realized what everyone else already knew...and he was afraid that it had come much too late.

To be continued...

* * *

><p>AN: Again, sorry for the delay. I wish I could be more reliable in releasing chapters, but I'm having the worst luck finding time to work on my stories. I would much rather work on them than my job...I wish I could be a professional writer...maybe someday :). Anyway, let me know what you think so far, and thanks so much for reading! See you next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Heero squinted his eyes at the first rays of sun that poured in past the curtains. He didn't know how long he'd been awake, but the minute he opened his eyes, he knew that there was no way that sleep would return to him. Last night's events were a bit of a blur, not because he was drunk...more like his mind was trying to forget what all transpired. But sure enough, as he continued to lay there, staring up at the ceiling, vivid memories of last night came flooding back.

He moved too fast...ventured too far down a path he clearly wasn't prepared for. When Zechs took his chance, Heero knew immediately that he wasn't up for it; but he pushed back all of his inhibitions and went along with it. He allowed Zechs to lift him up and carry him to the bedroom, deposit him on the bed, and lay on top of him. Immediately Zechs's lips were on his while his hands caressed every inch of skin they came in contact with. Heero vaguely remembered the taste of wine as Zechs's tongue explored his mouth. Arms encircled Heero's waist, and Zechs pushed back up in a sitting position, bringing Heero along with him to straddle his lap. They kissed for a little while longer; then Zechs's lips trailed along Heero's jawline, hot heavy breaths tickling Heero's cheek.

"_I want you...so much..." _Heero remembered Zechs saying that as he desperately grasped at his shirt, having every intention of taking it off; and Heero probably would've let him...but...

Heero turned his head to see the time and caught a glimpse of the only other object resting on the night side: a picture frame. The couple displayed seemed happy, although it wasn't their facial expressions that conveyed this. They were smiling at each other, of course, but their body language told more than curved lips ever could. Complete eye contact, oblivious to the world around them. Hands effortlessly rested on the other's waist, while the other's arms loosely wrapped around his neck, and delicate fingers softly threading through his hair. It was a sweet picture, a clear indication of their devotion to each other. Trowa and Quatre did make a really good couple.

Heero slowly sat up and surveyed the room in he was in-Trowa's room. He didn't recall what time he stumbled into his friend's apartment, but it was well into the wee hours of the morning. He was exhausted, having not slept a wink until he arrived. He feigned sleep at Zechs's, just until he was sure Zechs wouldn't wake up if he moved. He was sure that he'd get an angry or confused call from Zechs soon (if he hadn't already), but Heero didn't care. For the second time, Heero let his guard down...and again Zechs took advantage of it, but this time he went way too far.

"...so stupid," Heero mumbled as he got out of the bed and went to the bathroom to freshen up. As soon as he looked in the mirror, he saw a remnant of the previous night's mistake: a reddish purple mark on his shoulder...probably from when Zechs pinned him down. At the time Heero thought that he might push hard enough to dislocate his shoulder...it all happened so quickly. First Zechs was whispering sweetly in his ear, coaxing Heero to give in to his desires...and Heero wanted to, it was sure of it. Sensations new to him flooded his entire being. It didn't take much for him to know that he wanted Zechs...more than he cared to admit. He wanted to continue feeling this way. He wanted Zechs to push past his walls, and take everything he had to offer...his body wanted to claimed by him...but...his heart...

No matter how much his body wanted it, his heart wouldn't allow it. No matter how much Heero tried to reassure that he wanted this, it didn't matter. Deep down his heart knew...unlike Duo, he couldn't turn off his feelings and act on impulse. He couldn't perform such an intimate physical act without any emotional attachment. He always lived, and made decisions based on his emotions...and they were screaming, begging him to stop before it was too late. His hand grabbed Zechs's wrists, stopping his movements. Heero remembered the confused look on his face, wondering why he had stopped him. Before Heero could speak, Zechs wrapped his free arm around Heero's waist and pull him for another heated kiss. It felt good, Heero admitted, even as Zechs's hand crept under his shirt, slowly tracing up his back, he wanted to let Zechs continue...but he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt. He placed his hands on Zechs's chest and push back, effectively separating them again.

"_Stop." _

Zechs had looked even more confused. _"What's wrong?"_

"_I...I don't think I can do this..."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I'm sorry...I just...I'm not really..."_

"_It's ok...we can slow down if you want."_

"_No, that's not what I mean...I don't want to do this...with you."_

Looking back, Heero figured that was probably the wrong thing to say. The second those words were spoken, Zechs's whole demeanor changed. He crushed his mouth against Heero's as he pushed him back onto the bed.

The rest was just a blur. Heero didn't want to remember it, but as he slowly removed his clothing to take a shower, more evidence appeared. Three long scratch marks along his hip: probably when Zechs tried to take off Heero sweatpants. Bruising along his ribcage...had to have been when Zechs attempted to roll Heero onto his stomach...Zechs had released one of Heero's hands at that moment (both wrists hand finger markings), and he took the opportunity to hit him hard in the face (on the same side of the once-broken jaw). Zechs immediately dropped to the side, allowing Heero to roll off the bed and scramble out of the room. However he didn't get far until Zechs was on him again; this time he slammed him against the wall before pressing his body against his, effectively trapping Heero in place.

"_What are you doing-let go of me!"_

"_Just relax-it won't hurt if you just relax..."_

"_No...I don't want to!"_

"_You're just nervous-it's ok. I'll be gentle. It'll be good, I promise."_

"_Zechs...please...just stop. I don't want this...I don't..."_

Heero remembered panicking-he had never been in that situation before, and as he heard Zechs heavy breathing against his ear, and felt rough callous hands move on him, Heero couldn't help but think about Duo. He wondered if Duo had ever been trapped like this before...what he did to escape...or did he endure it. He wondered if it was Duo instead of Zechs doing this, would he fight just as hard...harder...or would he let him do what he wanted. He also wondered...would Duo even do this to him...take what he wanted from him...without a second thought.

_No...no, he wouldn't..._

Heero swiped a tear that had just escaped.

"Nothing happened," he told himself in the mirror. "So stop it."

"_Please...stop..." _A voice completely foreign to Heero escaped his lips: weak, pleading, and pathetic. But it was enough. As soon as Heero managed to utter those two words, Zechs completely stood still, and looked at him with large blue eyes. Before he could say anything more, Zechs pushed away from him, pressing himself against the opposite wall. That bewildered looked remained on his face as he tried to make sense of what all transpired, but Heero assumed it didn't take long for him to figure it out once he soaked in Heero's disheveled appearance. A moment later, he collapsed onto the floor, taking in huge gulps of air, profusely apologizing for what he had done...and what he planned to do. Heero remained still the whole time, neither moving nor flinching as Zechs poured his heart into his seemingly sincere words. Heero heard them, sure...but he didn't respond or (God forbid) move to comfort Zechs. He couldn't...he didn't want to...and he was afraid that he was going to kill him.

Heero stared at himself, naked, in front of the mirror, taking in all of last night's damage. Duo was right...he was naïve...

* * *

><p>The second Duo's eyes shot open, he grabbed his phone. It had been over four hours since he left Heero that desperate plea for help. He was feeling a little better after taking a nap: his headache had subsided considerably and his eyes weren't as heavy anymore. At first he didn't want to sleep for fear of missing Heero's call. But it became necessary when even the slightest movement intensified the throbbing in his head.<p>

Feeling very hopeful, Duo looked through his missed calls. When Heero wasn't able to pick up, he always called back, at least within the hour. It was early when Duo phoned him, so he assumed that Heero was still sleeping...although the more plausible reason was that Heero hadn't looked at his phone yet. Heero usually awoke very early in the morning, even if he went to bed late the night before. Duo equated it to being a force of habit; Heero's body was so accustomed to waking up early every day that now it did without any needed assistance.

Duo quickly skimmed through the list of calls he received so far, hoping to see the all too familiar name of his best friend, the most important person in his life. But that was the only name that did not appear.

"What the hell..." Duo's shoulders slumped as he continued to scan through the missed calls, hoping that maybe he just breezed by it too quickly, but again, Heero's name was not in the list. Letting out a dejected sigh, Duo set the phone down next to him. Heero didn't call...maybe he hadn't checked his messages yet...right...

As much as he wanted to lay back down, instead Duo got up and went downstairs to the kitchen. He hadn't eaten all day-he could at least have a sandwich...or something. He rummaged through the cupboards, pulling out the bread, peanut butter, and in the fridge he retrieved the strawberry jelly. Then he set the contents on the counter and halfheartedly went to working making his sandwich. In all honestly, he wasn't really hungry...his mind was too muddled to even register hunger. All that managed to come through was a single word...and the person associated with that word.

Why it have to happen now? Why couldn't this realization have occurred sooner? Before he basically pushed Heero away; or before Solo came into the picture? If Duo had accepted his feelings for Heero sooner, then things would've been different. If he hadn't denied them, ignored them, he wouldn't have acted so promiscuously...things between them would be different now...

"Why couldn't I just tell you...?" Small droplets splashed onto the perfectly made sandwich sitting idly on top of a paper towel. More followed, as Duo just stood there staring at it, allowing his tears to freely flow from his eyes. He wasn't hungry anyway...he just needed something to get his mind off of the awful fact that he seriously fucked up. He loved Heero...more than he could've ever imagined. Sure, he'd said it Heero before...but never in the way that expressed what was felt in his heart. So it was never taken seriously...it was never accepted as anything but Duo being Duo-carefree, joking...nothing beyond that. And now, the moment when was forced to face his feelings about his friend...and accepting that he could no longer deny them (nor did he want to anymore), it was too late. Duo ran to Solo, using him as a distraction so he could further ignore the overwhelming affection he felt toward Heero. And he pushed Heero away to further the distraction...and into the arms of Zechs.

Duo sucked in a sharp breath and roughly wiped the tears away. He really didn't want to break down on the kitchen floor. Grabbing his sandwich, he left and proceeded to return to his room. He passed by the living room, now back to normal. He had taken down all of the decorations after he came back from the space port...or rather, he ripped them down. He was so upset that as soon as he saw the sight he went nuts. Now all of the stuff was sitting in bags in the corner, waiting to be taken back to Quatre. But not right now...Duo didn't want to see Quatre...he didn't want to see that all-knowing "I told you so" look on his face. He really didn't want to see anybody...except Heero...he really wanted to see Heero...

Just as he took a couple steps up the stairs, Duo heard the front door open and close. He froze as he listened to keys clattering on the small table by the door, and soft footsteps walking into the open area by the stairs. As Duo turned he saw Heero emerge from the entranceway and stop at the foot of the stairs. He scanned the living room before turning to look back at Duo, not saying a word. They stared at each other for only a brief moment, but to Duo it seemed like an eternity. Then Heero pointed to his sandwich.

"You're crushing it."

"Huh?" Duo blinked before looking down to see that his once perfect sandwich was now gripped tightly in his fist, completely ruined. "Oh...I guess I wasn't hungry."

"Hmm." Heero continued to the kitchen. Duo followed him, but not to talk; for once he was at a loss for words. He tossed the crumbled mess in his hands in the trash and went to the sink to clean up. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Heero moving about, probably trying to find something to eat.

"There's leftovers in the fridge if you want it," he said, suddenly remembering the remaining food from last night's dinner.

Heero stopped for a moment to look at him. "You make it?"

Duo grabbed a towel to dry his hands as he spoke. "Yeah...with Quatre's help, of course."

"...It is edible?"

"Haha, funny." A small smile appeared on Duo's face, but quickly vanished. "I'm still alive and I ate it."

"Hmm...I'll pass." Heero closed the fridge. "I'm not really that hungry actually...I just need...something."

"Yeah?" Duo set the towel down and leaned against the counter. "Are you...thirsty? Maybe we can go for a few drinks..."

"Drinks?" Heero raised a brow. "At 2 in the afternoon?"

Duo shrugged. "Looks like you could use one...I know I can...and..." Duo sighed. "I need to talk to you."

Heero stared at him for a moment before speaking. "About what?"

"Well..." Duo lightly bit down on the inside of his cheek. "Did you get my message?"

Heero blinked. "Message?"

"Yeah...I tried calling you this morning, but you didn't answer..."

Heero reached for his phone in his pocket...and didn't find it. Then realization dawned on him. _I left it at Zechs's...shit!_

"Heero?"

"Sorry," Heero quickly shook his head. "I haven't checked my messages yet."

"Oh..." Duo looked down, trying to focus on anything but the pounding in his chest.

"What did you want?"

"Nothing...I just...Solo left and I was feeling...I just wanted..." Before Duo could say anything else, he heard retreated footsteps. He looked up to see Heero leave the kitchen. "Wha-hey Heero?" Duo quickly followed as Heero made his way up the stairs. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Heero said firmly. "I'm just not in the mood to listen to you lament about your boyfriend."

"Wha-he's not my boyfriend." Duo shook his head. "And I don't want to talk about him."

"Oh? What else could you possibly want to talk about? Especially considering the fun I'm sure you had last night."

"Fun?"

"Don't play stupid, Duo." Heero shot him a skeptical look. "You kicked me out for the night just so you and Solo and can do God knows what without any interruptions. Just admit it."

Duo swallowed hard. "Ok, I know it seemed that way, considering what's happened the past couple weeks. But that wasn't my intention at all. Sure, it was possible and at the time I wasn't going to stop him if it did happen. The truth is that I didn't want you here because I didn't want to hurt you again. I was thinking about your feelings-"

"MY feelings!?" Heero spun around, making Duo step back. "What the hell do you know about my feelings!? For the past two weeks everything you've done was without regard to how I felt-you're too damn self-centered to think about anybody else!"

Duo was completely blindsided by the anger in which Heero spoke. Just a few minutes earlier, Heero seemed pretty mellow, and now... "I know, I'm sorry-"

"You seriously think an apology is going to make me feel better!? Really!?"

"No, of course not-"

"Then why the hell do you even bother!? Huh!?" Heero took a step forward, making Duo step back again. "Why do you care so much about what I feel or think or whatever!? Why is that you think you can fuck with me, with my head, and expect me to forgive you with a quick 'I'm sorry'!?"

Duo blinked, completely at a loss for words. "I...I don't..."

Heero let out a dejected sigh and hung his head feeling tears well up. "...why do I have to care so much...?" he said softly, a slight quiver in his voice. "This isn't me at all...and it's all your fault..."

"Heero...?" Duo slowly moved toward him.

"You're so confusing to me...I don't know what to do when it comes to you anymore. I think that if I'm patient enough...then maybe...I could forget you...move on...but...you never let me..." Heero felt hands on his shoulders and looked up to see Duo standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry..." Duo said, his lips forming a sad smile.

"You're an idiot," Heero said as tears spilled out from the corner of his eyes.

Duo slowly nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry..."

"I want to forget you..."

"I know..."

"...then let me forget you..."

Duo hands moved to cup the sides of Heero's face; his thumbs gently wiped the tears away. "Sorry...but I can't let that happen..."

Heero swallowed, completely caught in Duo's gaze as their faces were just inches away from each other. "...why?"

Duo thought about that question for a brief moment. So many things that he wanted to say...but nothing that he could come up with could possibly express the guilt he felt for hurting Heero, or the overwhelming love he wanted to convey.

Heero didn't get an answer from Duo in the form of words. Instead, Duo leaned forward, taking Heero's lips in a gentle kiss. And this time, unlike so many before, Heero was quick to accept it.

To be continued...

* * *

><p>I know...long overdue. Sorry for the extremely long delay! I've got a lot of catching up to do, and I will submit more updates as soon as I can. Reviews welcome :)<p> 


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